Mini Pecan Pies with Cane Syrup Whipped Cream

Two years.  That's how long I've thought about it.

It came to me after pecan season.  As in way, way after.  After all the pecans had been eaten.

The next year was an off harvest.  Our tree produces every other year.

So this year was THE year, baby.
I would have Pecan Pie Turnovers w/ Cane Syrup Whipped Cream.

Uhhh...nope.

I had convinced myself that my usual pecan pie filling would be fine for turnovers.  Juuuuuust fine.

After stirring the filling together, it was beyond obvious.  Too runny to fold pie crust around it.

So I grabbed some muffin tins (after pitching a big ole hissy fit, of course) and started digging through cabinets to find a glass that would cut the right size circles.

I'm certain another hissy fit was thrown at some point.
After 2 years, I was going to have cute little pies.
Believe you me.

Don't overfill like I did. 

Pecan pie is my favorite pie.  This filling, made with a mix of Karo and cane syrup, is good.  But everybody and their mama has a pecan pie recipe that they dig up for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

All that time spent fussing over the filling and the size of the pie.
When it's really the whipped cream that mattered.

The whipped cream is flavored with Steen's Pure Cane Syrup.
I thought it made sense to put it on top of pecan pie.
Sugarcane and pecans are both are harvested this time of year.

I had to pat myself on the back over the Cane Syrup Whipped Cream.  

It's also good on Gateau de Sirop (syrup cake).

Print It!

Mini Pecan Pies with Cane Syrup Whipped Cream
1/2 stick butter (4 TBSP)
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup Karo syrup
1/4 cup Steen's Pure Cane Syrup
2 cups pecan halves
2 refrigerated pie crusts

whipped cream:
3 TBSP Steen's Pure Cane Syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream the butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each.  Add the salt, vanilla, and both syrups.  Mix well.  Stir in the pecans.

Cut the pie crusts into 4-4 1/2" diameter circles.  If you roll out the scraps from the pie crust twice, you should be able to get 14 mini pies.

Place pie crust circles in muffin tins.  Fill with about 1/8 of a cup of filling.  Don't overfill or the pies will stick.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

While the pies cool, mix together the cane syrup, vanilla, and whipping cream.  Start on low speed, gradually increasing to high as the mixture thickens.  Beat until soft peaks form.

Top each pie with a spoon of the whipped cream.  Drizzle extra cane syrup over the top (optional).


More Pecans...

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Disjointed {Satsuma Muffins with Brown Butter Pecan Glaze}

Like many other folks in South Louisiana, I grow satsumas in my backyard.

Satsumas are super sweet, super juicy, easy to peel, small citrus and are related to mandarin oranges.  Large groves can be found in Plaquemines Parish, south of New Orleans in the Jesuit Bend area.  Jesuits brought satsumas from Japan to Louisiana in the 18th century.  Backyards all over Southern Louisiana as well as other Gulf Coast states are dotted with satsuma trees.

Winter is satsuma season here.  I always find that disjointed.

When I look out the window and see bright, sunny-looking citrus fruit against dark green foliage, winter isn't what I think of.

Maybe that's the thing, though.
Would you believe it's 31º F in this picture?

Cold enough to want to bake.

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Satsuma Muffins with Brown Butter Pecan Glaze
from Ms. enPlace

muffins:
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup satsuma juice
1 tsp satsuma zest
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp vanilla
4 Tbsp melted butter

glaze:
2 Tbsp butter
about 3/4 to 1 c powdered sugar
3 Tbsp finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.  Blend the first four ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.  Blend milk, satsuma juice, zest, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl.  Add milk mixture to the dry ingredients, combining just until moistened.  Add melted butter and stir well.
Spoon batter into muffin tins, and bake 15-20 minutes, or until tops begin to brown.

Remove the muffins from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the glaze.

Place 2 Tbsp butter in a skillet over low heat.  Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until the butter develops a golden brown color.  Add the pecans and cook in the butter for a couple of minutes.  Stir in 1/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth.  Gradually add more sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time until the glaze is as thick as you'd like.

Spoon the glaze over the muffins and serve.

More Satsuma Recipes:

What's in the past... 
still tastes good

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Identity Crisis {Russian Fudge}

This is the Husband's favorite fudge.  For the longest time, I thought it was an old Cajun recipe.  My mother-in-law taught me how to make it, but just called it Fudge or Pecan Fudge or J's Fudge.  Years later, I found the recipe in the classic Cajun cookbook: Talk About Good! 

Making this fudge is a lot like making a roux.

• Sugar and condensed milk are heated together like flour and oil.  
• The mixture must be constantly scraped from the bottom of the pot while it turns from beige to tan then almost brown.  
• A constant eye is needed or it will burn.

If it weren't for all that sugar, it almost feels like you'll end up with gumbo.
When butter and pecans are added, it'll feel like you'll end up with pralines.

This fudge isn't Cajun at all, though.  It's Russian Fudge.

Funny thing.  It isn't Russian either.  Its origins seem to be Scottish.  Or British.
There's some debate.
This fudge doesn't really know what it is.

All I know is that Russian Fudge has no chocolate.
And that seems wrong to me.

Since this is the season for giving, I gave in to the no chocolate thing and made Russian Fudge for The Husband.  

Tips:
* Cut the fudge into small pieces--it's sweet.
   Super sweet.
   Like me.
* Scrubbing stuck-on sugary mess doesn't make for a fun
   afternoon.  The sugar will melt away if you soak your pot
   and utensils in hot water.
   Very hot.
   Like me.

...I'm having an identity crisis of my own.

Print It

Russian Fudge
slightly adapted from Talk About Good!

1 (14 oz) can condensed milk
1 c sugar
1 tsp butter (plus additional butter for pan)
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups pecans

Butter an 8" x 8" baking pan.

Add condensed milk and sugar to a heavy pot (cast iron or stainless steel).  Dissolve the sugar in the milk over medium heat, then turn heat higher so that a brown crust will form on bottom of pot.  Scrape (do not stir) constantly.

After cooking approximately 10 minutes, when the mixture forms a soft ball in a cup of cold water, remove from fire and mash all brown lumps with the back of a wooden spoon.  This mashing will give the fudge a caramel taste and color.  Add salt, butter, and pecans, stirring for about 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and allow to cool before cutting.


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