About Texas Nut Shellers

Bouchon Bakery Pecan Sandies

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Bouchon-Bakery-Pecan-Sandies
Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel, co-authors of the Bouchon Bakery cookbook, popped into our Test Kitchen and treated us to a batch of homemade Pecan Sandies. The book is a wonderful collection of all-American desserts and classic French pastries, laced with sweet anecdotes from Keller. The buttery, crumbly Pecan Sandies were one of Keller’s mother’s favorite treats (the Keebler variety, to be exact).

We couldn’t help but hit up the French Laundry chefs for a few baking tips while they were here. Here’s what they harped on:

  • Although it may seem easier to measure with measuring cups and spoons, measuring by weight is far more accurate. That’s why their cookbook includes gram measurements for all ingredients (in addition to cup and spoon measurements). Inexpensive scales are very accurate and will transform your baking from good to great. Also, when you use a scale, it turns a baking recipe into a one bowl recipe! No need to fuss with measuring cups or spoons.
  • Don’t lay cookies on a baking sheet in straight lines; instead, lay them in diagonal lines. This way, hot air will fully surround each cookie for more even baking.
  • Use heavy baking sheets. Thin, flimsy sheets are don’t conduct heat evenly and can lead to inconsistent results.

Pecan Sandies

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (80 grams)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (170 grams)
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons powdered sugar (90 grams)

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toss together flour and pecans in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat butter at medium-low speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar, and beat 2 minutes or until fluffy, stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture, and beat at low speed 30 seconds or just until combined.
  3. Shape dough into 2-inch balls; place 1 ½ inches apart on 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten each ball into a disk.
  4. Bake at 350° for 22 to 25 minutes or until light golden, placing 1 baking sheet on oven rack one-third down from top and 1 baking sheet on oven rack one-third up from bottom.
  5. Cool on baking sheets on wire racks 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely (about 15 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from the Bouchon Bakery cookbook.

How to Make a Lattice Top for a Pie Crust

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How-to-Make-a-Lattice-Top-for-a-Pie-Crust
A woven lattice pie crust can make a homemade pie look so pretty. As intimidating as it might look to the non-weavers among us, weaving a lattice pie crust top is actually quite easy to do. Watch out though, you might experience flashbacks of kindergarten and construction paper.

Preparation

  1. Before starting the lattice top, roll out half of your >pie dough and line your pie dish with it. The dough should extend beyond the rim of the pie dish by about half an inch. Put it in the refrigerator to chill while you work on the lattice. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the other half of your pie dough to the same extent as the first half (about 3 inches beyond the diameter of your pie dish). It’s easier to work with the dough if it is chilled, so if it the dough has softened too much, put the rolled-out piece on a flat cookie sheet and chill it in the refrigerator or freezer for a few minutes.Step-1
  2. Cut the dough into even strips, 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch wide, depending on how thick you want your lattice strips. You can use a blunt knife with or without a ruler or straight edge to guide you, or you can use a pizza wheel or a pastry wheel if you have one.Step-2
  3. Fill your pie shell with the pie filling. Lay out 4 to 7 parallel strips of the pie dough, depending on how thick your strips are, on top of the filling, with about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch space between them. Fold back every other strip.Step-3
  4. Place one long strip of dough perpendicular to the parallel strips as shown. Unfold the folded strips over the perpendicular strip.Step-4
  5. Now take the parallel strips that are running underneath the perpendicular strip and fold them back over the perpendicular strip, as shown. Lay down a second perpendicular strip of dough next to the first strip, with some space between the strips. Unfold the folded parallel strips over the second strip.Step5
  6. Continue this process until the weave is complete over the top of the pie.Step-6
  7. Trim the edges of the strips flush with the dough of the underlying pie dish, which should be about half an inch over the sides. Fold back the rim of the shell over the edge of the lattice strips, and crimp to secure.Step-7

Left: 3/4-inch strips. Right: 1/2-inch strips

Caramel-Pecan Tart

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Caramel-Pecan-Tart
Serve this top-rated pecan tart recipe for dessert at holiday dinners and parties.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2/3 cup butter
  • 3 tablespoons whipping cream

Preparation

  1. Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.
  2. Pulse flour, powdered sugar, and 3/4 cup butter in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture evenly on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.
  3. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.
  4. Bring brown sugar, honey, 2/3 cup butter, and whipping cream to a boil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in toasted pecans, and spoon hot filling into prepared crust.
  5. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes or until completely cool.
  6. Caramel-Pecan Bars: Prepare recipe as directed, pressing crumb mixture evenly on bottom and 3/4 inch up sides of a lightly greased heavy-duty aluminum foil-lined 13-inch x 9-inch pan. When completely cool, using the aluminum foil as handles, carefully lift the tart from the pan, and transfer to a serving tray. Cut into squares.

Buttermilk Cornmeal Crust

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Pecan-Grits-Pie
This recipe goes with Pecan-Grits Pie.

Use this delicious crust with pecan, pumpkin, or apple pies – it has a delicate texture and browns nicely. Most cookbooks recommend a pastry blender for cutting shortening and/or butter into the flour mixture. Maybe because it’s what Mother did – but I prefer to use my fingers to cut in the shortening. I usually remember the “proper method” and pick up a pastry blender to cut in the chunks of butter, but always go back to my fingers to make sure the mixture feels just right.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup finely ground or sifted stone-ground cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup cold shortening
  • 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
  • 4 to 5 tablespoons buttermilk

Preparation

  1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; cut in shortening and butter with a pastry blender or fingertips until mixture is about the size of small peas.
  2. Sprinkle buttermilk evenly over surface; stir with a fork just until dry ingredients are moistened.
  3. Cover and chill 1 hour, if desired. Roll pastry to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface (about 12-inch diameter). Place in a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp.

Romaine with Toasted Pecans and Pickled Strawberries

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Romaine-with-Toasted-Pecans-and-Pickled-Strawberries
Use this recipe as a template for every season, substituting seasonal fruit such as plums, figs, or grapes for the berries. If your strawberries are large, cut them into eighths.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries, quartered
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 3 romaine lettuce hearts
  • 1 cup pecan halves, toasted
  • 1 (4-ounce) blue cheese wedge, crumbled* (optional)

Preparation

  1. Combine first 2 ingredients and 1 1/2 cups water in a large bowl; whisk in honey until salt is dissolved and honey is blended. Add strawberries; cover and let stand 1 hour.
  2. Pour strawberry mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a medium bowl; reserve 2 Tbsp. liquid. Transfer strawberries to a bowl. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
  3. Whisk together 1 Tablespoon vinegar, Dijon mustard, and reserved 2 Tablespoon strawberry liquid in a bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth.
  4. Cut lettuce hearts in half crosswise, keeping top 6 inches of each and reserving ends for another use. Place lettuce tops on a serving platter. Top with strawberries, pecans, and, if desired, cheese; drizzle with vinegar mixture.

*1 (4-oz.) goat cheese log, crumbled, may be substituted.

Pecan Pralines

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Pecan-Pralines
This delectable Louisiana brittle candy dates back to 1750. Originally pralines were made with almonds–the preferred nut of the French–and was considered an aid to digestion at the end of the meal. However, the Creoles quickly found a better alternative in the abundant pecan and replaced the white sugar with brown. Today it’s considered one of the paramount sweets in the South. In New Orleans, it used to be a tradition for young women to make pralines before going to a ball and then enjoy them with friends (and beaux) at their homes afterward.

Be sure to use a heavy Dutch oven and a candy thermometer, and make pralines on a day when the weather is dry—humidity can make them grainy.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups pecan halves and pieces
  • 3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Wax paper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Cool completely (about 15 minutes).
  2. Meanwhile, bring brown sugar and next 3 ingredients to a boil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 236° (soft ball stage). Remove sugar mixture from heat.
  3. Let sugar mixture stand until candy thermometer reaches 150° (20 to 25 minutes). Stir in vanilla and pecans using a wooden spoon; stir constantly 1 to 2 minutes or just until mixture begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper; let stand until firm (10 to 15 minutes).

TRY THESE TWISTS!

Chocolate-Pecan Pralines: Prepare as directed through Step 2. Add 2 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate baking squares to sugar mixture. (Do not stir.) Proceed as directed in Step 3.

Café au Lait Pecan Pralines: Add 2 Tablespoon s instant coffee granules with brown sugar in Step 2.

Bourbon-Pecan Pralines: Add 1/4 cup bourbon with brown sugar in Step 2.