After-Hours Southern Pecan Praline Pie

Pecan pie is one thing; pecan praline pie is something altogether different. The flavor of this pie is far deeper and more intense than sticky sweet, somewhat plain pecan pie—perhaps it is more aligned with the praline candy from which it takes its name. But that deep flavor can be hard to come by. If you add too much sugar, the texture can be as dense and chewy as taffy; too little sugar and it’s custardy and bland. And then there are the nuts to contend with. We wanted to make a foolproof pecan praline pie with true Southern flavor. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• Maximize the pie’s praline flavor by adding brown sugar to the crust. Parbaking the crust will brown the sugar, deepening its flavor.
• Combine dark brown sugar and dark corn syrup in the filling for the richest flavor. Most pecan pies use light corn syrup.
• Flavor the filling with a hefty shot of vanilla and a shot of bourbon. Both bring out the complex, earthy flavors of the brown sugar.
• Add a fairly large amount of salt to cut through the sweetness of the sugar.