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Sunday afternoons in the South… fried chicken, black eye peas, mashed potatoes, homemade buttermilk biscuits, and chocolate pecan pie…Family gathered around the dinner table enjoying conversation and each other's company. Is there anything more scrumptious? It's funny how certain foods and desserts automatically conjure up images of the South. Chocolate pecan pie is a southern tradition, just like regular pecan pie, but with the little something extra. A sweet chocolate taste that delights the taste buds, served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oh so delicious. The first time I tasted the chocolate pecan pie at Tanner's Pecans I was taken back to those lazy Sunday afternoons with my grandmother in the kitchen and my parents and aunts and uncles talking and laughing and us kids playing without a care in the world. I would always sneak into the kitchen to help my grandmother cook and bake. How else was I supposed to become a good Southern cook if I didn't help? She would always smile and welcome me and let me be her little helper. Sometimes I was more of a hindrance then help, but she did not care. And it was through her love and patience that I gained my love of baking and fine Southern cuisine. My grandmother never used a recipe. It always fascinated me how she just knew how much and of what to put in… never really used a measuring cup or spoons either. Just a little of this and a bit of that. The older I got, I would try my best to write down as I went along so that I could make her desserts on my own. Her chocolate pecan pie recipe always made two pies, but it is so easy to cut in half and make only one:
Chocolate Pecan Pie
* 3 cups granulated sugar
* pinch of salt
* 7 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
* 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla
* 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
* 1 stick butter, melted (8 tablespoons)
* 1 cup pecan halves, and 2 unbaked pecan pie shells – deep dish.
Mix sugar, salt, and cocoa together. Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and milk; stir into the dry ingredients. Add melted butter and stir until well blended. Sprinkle pecan halves in the pie shell, about 1/2 cup in each shell. Pour filling over the pecans. Bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is set and the center is just slightly jiggly. Makes 2 pies.
I can smell the chocolate pecan pie cooking now. And it never had to be a holiday or special occasion to make it. Not like a traditional pecan pie that is usually thought of at Thanksgiving time or a spice cake that is more thought of during the colder months – chocolate pecan pie was good at anytime or at any meal. And even though I love my grandmother's chocolate pecan pie, I am also a huge cake fan. And I went in search of a way to take that delicious taste and transform it into a cake… and I think I was able to do that by incorporating marshmallows for the vanilla ice cream taste.
In an upcoming family gathering, you are assigned to prepare for the dessert. You feel the pressure because you don't want to ruin the night with your not-so-good dessert. Checking on your schedule, it is impossible for you to spend many hours preparing for a more complicated dessert because you have limited time after work. And not to mention, your time for buying all the ingredients is really limited.
However apprehensive you are of the incoming event, you still need to check on the crowd who will be attending to help you decide on what dessert to prepare. Since there will be more children attending the party, you have to consider what appeals more to them: sweets. And so making chocolate pecan pie is a brilliant idea.
To make delectable chocolate pecan pies, you have to make sure that you are choosing quality pecan pie. So how do you choose it?
Buy the raw one, with skin. You are sure that your chocolate pecan pie will be more nutritious. Be sure there's “natural” on its label. Once you have bought it, store it properly. Keep it inside the fridge unexposed to humidity and heat until such time that you will make the chocolate pecan pie.
How Pecan pie Is Made
So you are an avid chocolate pecan pie eater and your pantry does not run out of stocks of pecan pie. Has it crossed your mind on how the is pecan pie made?
Harvesting
Harvesting of peanuts happen between September to October. With the aid of the machines, the plants are pulled out from the ground, roots start to break away, and plants are shaken for excess soil. For few days of drying, the plants are placed in an upside down position. The dried plants are harvested, put into wagons for another drying time before the State or Federal Bureaus conduct inspection for valuation and quantity purposes.
From Peanuts to Pecan pie
Before being taken to the manufacturer, peanuts are brought to a separate plant for shelling. Peanuts are being sorted according to size; excess dirt, rocks, and sticks are removed. After cleaning and segregating, peanuts are packed before shipping.
In the processing plant, the fresh peanuts are then placed into roaster with hot air (240 degrees Celsius to be exact). The oven swings to and fro for even roasting, turning white peanuts to light brown.
After roasting, peanuts are being cooled down with the aid of suction fans in pulling out warm air inside the room. The quick process prevents the peanuts from further cooking to ensure natural oils remain in peanuts. The peanuts are now ready for blanching. The machine rubs off the outer skins in between the two belts. Two kernels of every nut splits, heart is removed. The heart of the peanut tastes bitter, so it should be removed.
After the process, peanuts are being placed inside a grinding machine in reasonable pace to avoid overcooking, putting in sugar, salt, and hydrogenated vegetable oil, until the paste comes out and placed into jars.
For more information on how Tanner's Pecan and Candies make chocolate pecan pie, click on www.tannerspecan.com and see the quality of pecan pie they are using in producing their own delicious chocolate pecan pies.