Delicious pecan pies - one vegan - The Jewish Standard

Hoping everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving meals and weekends with family and friends. I am sure it was nice to have all the college students back home and also nice to send them back. Our holidays are always filled with lots of memories. So now everyone is changing gears and thinking about Chanukah and even the New Year. Since there is a bit of time, try making one of the pie recipes below from Wholly Wholesome, a company in Morristown with many OU kosher products, that sent some interesting information about pies to share with my readers.

According to the company, there’s no question that pie is a staple in American homes during the holidays. Pie has the quality to bring together a family after a hard-earned holiday meal to enjoy some good old family tradition. Few Americans realize the history of pies. Originally called a “coffin” (meaning “basket” or “box”), the pie was the beginning of every holiday meal. For hundreds of years, every meal was baked into a crusty shell and served warm with meat filling the interior. Then, pies were considered a necessity. Today, however, pies are considered a culinary delight.

“Pies have been a central part of our family celebrations for generations,” said Doon Wintz, company president. “My sister, Bonnie, and I have a friendly competition at holiday meals. She makes her famous pecan pies and I make pumpkin or ice cream pies. The winner is the one whose pies are gone. Having a large and supportive family (we usually seat 40+), it always comes out a tie-no pie left. It’s a real treat to pass along our family’s tradition through wholesome, natural, and organic baked-goods. We understand the importance of family and how food brings them together in a really special way.”

Here are two kosher pecan pie recipes. Visit www.WhollyWholesome.com.

Aunt Bonnie’s Kosher Pecan Pie

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
4 tablespoons butter
3 eggs (beaten lightly)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 9-inch Wholly Wholesome Pie Shell (white, whole wheat, or spelt)
2 cups pecans (broken into small pieces)
60 whole pecan halves for top of pie

Combine sugar and syrup in a fry pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Melt butter into mixture. Set aside to cool (if you’re in a rush, put the pan on a bed of ice in the sink). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once cooled, add eggs, salt, and vanilla. Fill pie shell with broken pecans. Pour syrup mixture over pecans until it’s just below the rim. Arrange pecan halves on top starting with the largest pecans around the outside in a circle and using progressively smaller pecan halves as you circles move towards the center. Be sure to save some nice small ones for the center. Place on a piece of foil on top of a cookie sheet and place in the oven. Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes or until pecans are nicely toasted, but not burnt.

Aunt Bonnie’s Vegan Pecan Pie

1/2 cup unbleached cane sugar
1 cup corn syrup
4 tablespoons vegetable margarine
3/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
1 9-inch Wholly Wholesome vegan pie shell
2 cups pecans (broken into small pieces)
60 whole pecan halves for top of pie

Combine unbleached cane sugar and corn syrup in a fry pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Melt vegetable margarine into mixture. Set aside to cool (if you’re in a rush, put the pan on a bed of ice in the sink). Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Once cooled, add applesauce, salt, and vanilla. Fill pie shell with broken pecans. Pour syrup mixture over pecans until it’s just below the rim. Arrange pecan halves on top starting with the largest pecans around the outside in a circle and using progressively smaller pecan halves as you circles move towards the center. Be sure to save some nice small ones for the center

Place on a piece of foil on top of a cookie sheet and place in the oven

Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 minutes or until pecans are nicely toasted, but not burnt.