A Sensational Carrot Pie in a Rich, Buttery Pecan Crust
Hello everyone!
Carrots are a staple in my kitchen – I enjoy them in every form imaginable: raw, pickled, in salads, slaws, and even in cakes. So, I thought, why not try them in a pie? This carrot pie, with its soft and delicate texture, is reminiscent of pumpkin pie but with a distinct carrot sweetness and a deliberate lack of excessive sugariness, making it a healthier treat that’s packed with nutritious carrots. The pecan crust adds a touch of richness that perfectly complements the filling.
The inspiration for this recipe came from a BOGO special on organic carrots at my local grocery store. It was also a favorite pie pick on the Cookbook Club Podcast! Every year, my brother-in-law sends us a big bag of enormous pecans from Texas, and they are absolutely amazing. It felt like the universe was nudging me to create this pie, and I couldn’t resist!
I did make a slight tweak to the original recipe by Joshua McFadden from his cookbook, Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables. Instead of using six large carrots as Joshua suggests, I opted for organic baby carrots. They are naturally sweeter than conventional carrots and were perfect for this recipe. Plus, they were so much easier to work with!
The result was phenomenal – it was a huge hit! I must admit, I felt a twinge of guilt when I ate the last piece, knowing my husband would find the empty plate in the fridge. But maybe, just maybe, he left it for me, knowing how much I loved having it for breakfast.
You may remember the Cauliflower Couscous Salad with Almonds, Herbs, Cherries I made before; it also came from this cookbook. The book is filled with amazing photos, is well-written, and is definitely created by a gifted chef in tune with the seasons and the land of vegetables. It’s incredibly creative.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Carrot Pie in a Pecan Crust
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put the carrots in a large saucepan, cover with water, add teaspoons salt, and bring to boil. Adjust the heat to a gentle boil and cook until the carrots are thoroughly tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the age and shape of your carrots. Drain well and transfer to a blender.
- Put the sugar and 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) water into the saucepan, stir to moisten the sugar and cook over medium-high heat, without stirring but with a few swirls of the pan, until the sugar syrup has turned a dark amber and smells very caramel-y, 5 to 6 minutes. Be careful because the caramel is very hot.
- Carefully add 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) of the cream—it may spatter—and whisk until the caramel is smooth. Add the butter and a pinch more salt. Pour the caramel sauce into the blender with the carrots. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups (10 oz./310 ml) cream, the whole eggs (which you've cracked one at a time into a separate bowl, just in case any shell gets in them) and egg yolk. Blend on high until the filling is very smooth. Set aside until your pie shell is ready.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pecan dough into a 14-inch (35-cm) round. Roll it gently around your rolling pin, move it over a 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate and gently unroll it into position, allowing it to drape into the corners without stretching. Tuck the excess pastry under itself to make a neat thicker edge. Using two fingers of one hand and one finger of the other hand, work your way around the edge to flute it. Chill the pie shell for 30 minutes in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Line the pie shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with dried rice or beans. If you're using foil, fold it toward the center so it doesn't get stuck in the pastry. Bake until the edges are puffed and very light brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (165°C). Carefully remove the foil and weights and bake for another 20 minutes to dry out the center of the crust. Make sure the crust edges aren't getting too brown. If so, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).
- Pour the filling into the partially baked crust and bake at 325°F until the filling is just set. It will still be very soft, but the top will have puffed a bit and when you shake the pie, you won't see actual rolling liquid in the center, just a bit of a jiggle. This should take about 1 hour.
- Let the pie cool completely before cutting and serving. If desired, garnish the top of the pie with the ginger and pecans just before serving. Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) pie; serves 6 to 8.
- I garnished by making a quick handful of candied pecans. (See recipe link below.)
- It is very good for breakfast!
Notes
Pecan Dough
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put the pecans in a food processor and pulse until they are very fine and uniform, but not to the point of pecan butter. Add the flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse a few times to blend. Add the butter and pulse again until the largest piece is the size of a small pea.
- With the processor running, drizzle in the water and process until the mixture climbs up the sides of the processor. Remove the top and squeeze a big pinch of the dough to see whether it's still dry and crumbly or hold together and feels moist. If it is dry, pulse in a few more drops of water.
- When the dough is the right consistency, dump it onto a lightly floured counter and gather it into a ball. Push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, then use a dough scraper or thin spatula to scrape it back into a ball. Repeat this process for a few strokes until the dough starts to come together. Don’t overwork it; it’s okay if it’s still slightly crumbly. If you have a tea towel (not terry cloth), use it to make a beggar’s purse to shape the dough into a consolidated ball, as shown in the video. Shape it into a flat disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes. If you chill it longer, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling to avoid cracking. (If the dough does crack, you can repair it like I did in the video!)
- Store in the fridge for up to 2 days; freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube and Instagram! Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you 🙂 And if you made any of these recipes, how did it go for you?
14 responses to “Carrot Pie in a Pecan Crust”
That looks delicious. I honestly never heard of a Carrot Pie, now I’m interested in trying it.
I love this pie cold for breakfast!
Ok, that looks downright dangerous. In the best way…lol
Hmmm intriguing.
Very wise, James. I have it on good authority from our dogs that veggies are better when they crunch like a baby carrot.
Ow … yam, I love carrot foods 🙂
I’m a lover of Sweet potato pie and this sounds like something I would enjoy tremendously. Looking forward to trying it.
This really looks delicious…carrot pies are all-time favourites…
I was mesmerized by your pecan pie video. 🙂
Bonjour je suis là pour te souhaiter une agréable semaine
A une personne que j’apprécie
Que tout, en ce jour te soit joie de grande beauté
Ce matin au levé du jour sera une journée pour venir saluer tous mes amis amis
Que ce beau jour vous soit d’une douceur infinie
Beau comme un beau poème
Une belle journée qui a pour thème L’amitié
Bise amicale Bernard
https://i.postimg.cc/yxQGTknJ/CANARD.jpg
That sounds utterly intriguing and delicious. Unfortunately, I follow a vegan and refined sugarless diet since having had cancer and I have not found substitutes for the butter, cream & eggs that I feel would work in a pie like that. I’ll keep researching and will try your recipe once we have an oven again. Happy new week to you and your readers 🤗
Thank you, Bee. I’m so glad you are beating that cancer! Be well, and let’s stay in touch!
Definitely. I love your recipes 🥗
[…] September 23, 2024 at 1:21 AM | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment Carrot Pie in a Pecan Crust […]