Pecan Delight Pie is a favourite dessert on the Piccadilly Cafeteria restaurant. It’s a lightweight, fluffy, creamy pie with a toasted pecan and Ritz cracker meringue crust.
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Piccadilly pecan delight dessert
For almost 80 years, Piccadilly Cafeteria has been serving up traditional American meals in an informal ambiance. Over time, the recognition of sure objects on the menu has waned, however Pecan Delight, one of many authentic pies served on the cafe, continues to keep up a loyal following and be a Southern favourite.
This pie could look easy, however the advanced flavors and textures make it an absolute standout. However what makes this pie in contrast to something you might have ever tasted is the ethereal menagerie crust studded with toasted Ritz crackers and items of pecans; really in contrast to something you might have ever eaten. This Pecan Delight recipe isn’t too troublesome to make, and it’s certain to impress, irrespective of the place you serve it.
What makes the Piccadilly Pecan Delight Pie a brand new method to take pleasure in pecan pie?
This delicious pie has related elements to a traditional pecan pie, besides with a twist. It doesn’t have a normal pie crust however one thing rather more particular. With a singular pecan-packed meringue shell and light-weight, fluffy whipped filling, you’ll be in heaven each time that you just chew into this.
Because you toast the pecans and Ritz crackers, they tackle a golden-brown hue and deeper taste. The meringue shell completely bakes right into a crispy, candy masterpiece. When mixed with creamy filling, this dessert is really magnificent.
Why you’ll love this recipe
With solely a handful of elements required, this can be a easy recipe that anybody could make. However other than its straightforward baking strategies, your family members will probably be blown away by how scrumptious it’s. It’s merely gentle and fluffy pie perfection!
This recipe will take them proper again to the primary time they tried it at Piccadilly Cafeteria. It’s a timeless traditional with wealthy flavors and contrasting textures. Serve this at your subsequent work social gathering, potluck, or household gathering, and it’ll quickly grow to be everybody’s favourite due to how distinctive it’s!
What’s meringue and the way can I make it?
When most individuals hear the phrase ‘meringue,’ they instantly consider what’s on prime of a lemon meringue pie. However meringue is rather more versatile than that. Pastry cooks use meringue to make every part from tart shells to cookies. Whereas the ingredient listing for meringue is brief, it does require a good bit of approach to get proper.
The simplest method to make meringue is utilizing a stand mixer or an electrical hand mixer with a whisk attachment. When you don’t have both, you possibly can nonetheless make meringue utilizing a balloon whisk, however prepare for a exercise.
There are two completely different sorts of meringue, mushy and exhausting. Mushy meringue is what bakers use to prime a lemon meringue pie or to mix with different elements. It isn’t the sort you need for this recipe. Ritz cracker pecan pies and tarts require exhausting meringue that may type a strong shell.
To make a tough meringue, first, it’s important to separate the eggs. The best approach to do that is to crack every egg right into a small bowl and use your fingers to scoop out the yolk. When you desire, you possibly can all the time use an egg separator to maintain your palms from getting messy. Make sure you test that there aren’t any bits of yolk with the egg whites earlier than including the whites to the blending bowl. Repeat for every egg.
Add the vanilla and cream of tartar to the egg whites, and blend on low till foam begins to look. At this level, begin including the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. After including all of the sugar, you possibly can improve the velocity of the mixer barely. Proceed to beat the egg white combination till it will get shiny. Verify for stiff peaks by lifting the whisk or attachment straight up and turning the other way up. The meringue is prepared when the peaks don’t lose their form.
Components
Right here’s a listing of what you could make pecan meringue pie:
- Eggs
- Cream of Tartar
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
- Pecans
- Ritz crackers
- Whipped Topping (Cool Whip)
When you don’t need to use Cool Whip, you possibly can all the time make your individual whipped cream. Since you have already got the mixer out, why not make selfmade whipped cream? You’ll be able to’t beat the flavour.
Learn how to make pecan delight pie
- Place chopped pecans and crushed Ritz crackers on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for five minutes. They need to be gentle golden brown.
- Take away pecans and crackers from the oven and place them on a paper towel to chill.
- Decrease oven temperature to 275°F.
- Separate yolks from egg whites. Place egg whites in a mixing bowl.
- Add vanilla and cream of tartar to the egg whites and beat till stiff.
- Slowly add sugar and proceed to beat egg whites till very stiff peaks type and the sugar is dissolved.
- Add pecans and crackers to the crushed egg whites.
- Fold in pecans and Ritz crackers.
- Spray a 10-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Unfold the meringue within the backside and up the perimeters of the pan, about 1-inch thick. You might have further meringue (see tip beneath).
- Hole out slightly gap in the midst of the underside of the meringue the scale of half a dime to assist with a good baking of the shell.
- Bake at 275°F for 1 hour.
- Flip the oven off and let the meringue crust dry within the oven for one more hour.
- Take away the crust from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
- When the crust is cool, unfold the whipped topping in it.
- Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Place the pie within the fridge to utterly chill earlier than serving.
Tip: For a buttery contact, toast the pecans coated in melted butter.
Suggestions for whipping up egg whites
- Use clear gear. Utilizing a moist bowl or instruments that aren’t totally clear and have grease on them can inhibit the egg whites from fluffing up, which will be fairly irritating!
- Begin with a sluggish to medium velocity, and as soon as the egg whites grow to be considerably fluffy, you possibly can improve the velocity.
- Don’t underneath or overwhip the egg whites. Free meringue received’t bake accurately, and overwhipped meringue turns grainy or curdled! Be cautious when the stiff peak stage is approaching.
- Use room-temperature eggs. They may foam up and mix into one another a lot simpler.
- Don’t use recent eggs to make meringue. Older eggs are higher, don’t use spoiled ones. You’ll be able to test by putting an egg in a glass of water. If it floats, throw it away, however you need to use it if it stands up on the underside of the glass.
Bonus recipe – meringue nests
When you’ve got any further meringue, you can also make nests and bake them the identical approach because the crust.
Simply drop mounds of the meringue combination onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the again of a spoon to type a effectively within the heart.
Then you possibly can fill the baked nests with jam, pudding, fruit, or berries. Strawberries and raspberries make a pleasant dessert for Valentine’s Day.
What to serve this with
Get pleasure from this divine dessert with a chocolate drizzle, caramel sauce, recent fruit, or perhaps a scoop of ice cream. You can even sprinkle further pecans on prime for garnish.
Learn how to retailer it
Cowl this pie with a dome lid or transfer the additional items to an hermetic container that received’t smash the floor layer of whipped topping. Hold it within the fridge.
How lengthy will it final?
Between the Cool Whip and the baked meringue shell, this pie is unquestionably greatest loved when it has simply been freshly chilled.
Nonetheless, this yummy pie lasts roughly 3-4 days when saved accurately. After that, the Cool Whip may begin to break down, and the meringue turns softer.
Love selfmade pies? Strive these recipes!
Favourite pecan desserts and treats
Make sure you try extra of my straightforward pie recipes and the perfect Thanksgiving dessert recipes on CopyKat!
Piccadilly Pecan Delight Pie
Make a lightweight and creamy pecan delight pie at house.
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Price
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Servings: 8
Energy: 243kcal
Components
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/3 cup Pecans (chopped small, evenly roasted for crust)
- 1/4 cup Pecans (chopped medium, topping)
- 1/2 cup Ritz Crackers (chopped in advantageous items, evenly roasted for crust)
- 12 ounces Whipped Topping (Cool-Whip)
Directions
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In a preheated oven at 350 levels. Place 1/3 cup pecans and Ritz crackers for five minutes. You need to evenly roast the nuts and crackers. Watch them fastidiously so they don’t burn. The crackers and nuts must be gentle golden in colour. Take away from oven when golden and place on paper towel till cool.
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Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites and beat till stiff. Slowly add sugar and proceed to beat egg whites till very stiff peaks type and sugar is dissolved. Fold in 1/3 cup pecans and Ritz crackers. Place in a ten” pie pan that has been evenly sprayed with a nonstick baking spray. Unfold the meringue to the perimeters and canopy the underside of the pan.
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The meringue will probably be about 1″ – 1 1/8″ thick layer within the pie pan. Hole out slightly gap in the midst of the underside of the meringue the scale of half a dime, this can assist with a good baking of the shell. When you’ve got any meringue left make slightly nest bake the identical method and fill with leftover pudding or fruits. Place in a preheated oven at 275 levels for 1 hour. Verify shell, the meringue shouldn’t scorch, it would flip gentle tan in colour.
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Flip oven off and let shell dry within the oven for one more hour. Take away shell and funky. When the shell is cool place the whipped topping within the shell and sprinkle with 1/4 cup damaged pecans. Place in fridge to utterly chill earlier than serving. Meringue will whip fluffier and be fuller when ready at low humidity.
Vitamin
Energy: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fats: 11g | Saturated Fats: 5g | Ldl cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 0.4mg
