Maple-Walnut Pie

If you love pecan pie then you will love this variation. It's the same as your regular pecan pie recipe except you replace the corn syrup with real maple syrup and you replace the pecans with toasted walnuts. The maple syrup gives it almost more of a vanilla flavor. This was actually my first attempt at making my pie crust from scratch, and it turned out pretty well. It's actually pretty easy when using a food processor to do it. I took this pie to our office Thanksgiving party and there was none left over for me to take home to let the other half try. (Poor thing just had to smell the heaven coming out of the oven and didn't get to try it) As far as the pie crust goes though, this is how I feel, unless you think your recipe for pie crust is way better than store bought, or you just really prefer making your desserts from scratch, feel free to use store bought. It's easier and consistent. Then again perfecting your recipe is part of the fun of baking, right? :) 

Maple-Walnut Pie

• 1 disk dough of basic crust (recipe below) or one 9-inch store bought crust 
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted 
• 3 large eggs 
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 
• 3/4 cup real maple syrup 
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 
• 1 tsp lemon zest 
• 1 tbsp flour 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/2 tsp maple extract 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 2 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, toasted 

1. Place a baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 425 for 30 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, make the filling; Whisk all of the remaining ingredients except the walnuts in a bowl. 
3. Spread the walnuts in the crust and pour in the filling. 
4. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and lower the temperature to 325.
5. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set, 45 to 55 minutes. (Cover the edges with foil if they brown too quickly.) Cool on rack. 

Basic Crust (Makes 2 disks dough)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting) 
• 1/4 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp sugar 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 4 tbsp cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces 
• 10 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 

1. Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor. 
2. Add the shortening and 1/3 of the butter; pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. 
3. Add the remaining butter and pulse until it is the size of peas. 
4. Add 1/4 cup ice water and pulse a few more times. If the dough doesn't hold together when squeezed, add more ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing. 
5. Divide between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pat into disks; wrap and chill at least 1 hour. 
6. Roll out the dough into a 12 in round on a lightly floured surface. 
7. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate; fold the overhang under itself and crimp. 
8. Chill for 30 minutes

I was given a little insert from a food network magazine that had 50 pies in it. Different variations of the classics. This is where I found the recipe with many delicious sounding others.