A double dose of sorghum makes this gluten free bourbon pecan pie shine; no corn syrup needed! Sorghum syrup gives the filling silky body and a complex taste, while the crust gets extra flake and flavor from sorghum flour.
The Birth of Sorghum Bourbon Pecan Pie
This pie was a bit of a happy accident. Sarah and I were styling a bourbon pecan pie for NYT that called for dark and light corn syrup. After failing to locate dark corn syrup at two different stores, I panicked and grabbed a jar of sorghum syrup, figuring that the color and viscosity would look similar enough for pictures. (Don’t tell.)
I’d been curious to try sorghum syrup (also called sorghum molasses) after reading about it in The Homemade Flour Cookbook and Flavor Flours, and it did not disappoint. I cracked open the jar, dipped a finger in, and tasted. The flavor was like heaven opening up and angels singing: notes of butterscotch, molasses and maple in a thick, not-too-sweet syrup.
Sorghum syrup is made by boiling the juice from the stalks of the sorghum plant. The resulting liquid is thick, like honey, with a deep brown coffee color. It’s less sweet than honey or maple syrup, with a level of sweetness similar to brown rice syrup or corn syrup. But it’s got loads more flavor than either, making it ideal for use in pecan pie, which can be overly sweet and bland. Turns out this idea is not new, and now we know why. (Sorghum syrup is also said to be high in antioxidants, hence this pie = health food. It’s basically kale.)
The pie baked up beautifully and we had fun styling the shoot for photographer Craig Lee. Then we ate too much pie. For weeks, I could not stop thinking about that pie. I imagined swapping the maple syrup in my favorite (though poorly-photographed on a smart phone because I had recently dropped my camera in breakfast) pecan pie recipe for sorghum syrup, and the millet flour in my pie crust for sorghum flour. And it turns out I wasn’t alone: Sarah was hatching a similar sorghum-y plan! So we decided to have a little pecan pie party today. Check out Sarah’s delectable version, kissed with molasses and orange zest and topped with nutmeg whipped cream, here.
This pie uses a few key techniques courtesy of Cook’s Country, from whence it was adapted, to turn out a custardy filling crowned with toasty nuts in a crisp crust. First, parbaking the crust is a must, since the custard likes to bake at a low temperature to keep it from curdling, whereas the crust likes hot temperatures to make it brown and flake. I like to use a baking stone to get the bottom of the crust extra-crisp. Next, the pecans are given a thorough toasting, then broken up with your fingers, which yields less dust to pollute the filling, keeping it crystal clear. The custard is given a brief cook on the stove, just enough to warm it up, dissolve the sugar, and oust any frothy air bubbles that can mar the surface of the pie. The pie is baked fairly briefly in a low oven to barely set the custard, then given a long cooling period to firm it up.
The result is kind of insane. The custard is smooth as butter, just sweet enough, and with a boozy punch. The warm flavor of the sorghum syrup rings through, melding with molassesy dark brown sugar and fruity bourbon. The taste is almost tropical. Candied nuts crunch along with large flakes of salt, and crispy crust shatters and flakes everywhere, infused with whole grain flavors of its own: sorghum, oat, chia seed and lots of butter.
I had some whipped coconut cream left over from another project, and I can hardly believe how well the two pair. The cream rounds out the flavors of the pie, bringing out the floral, fruity vibe of the filling.
My mind is swirling with other uses for this luscious syrup: granola, caramel corn, crispy rice treats, pancakes… but for now, I’ll just have another slice of pie (followed by a slice of Sarah’s).
What pie escapades are you planning in your kitchen? Let me know in the comments below! And if you give this pie a try, I want to see! Take photo and tag me on instagram @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.
Bourbon Sorghum Pecan Pie {with a gluten-free sorghum crust}
Print Recipe / Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 (9-inch) gluten-free pie crust, hot
- 2 cups raw pecan halves (230 g)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 g)
- 2/3 cup dark brown sugar or muscovado sugar (150 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup sorghum syrup (or dark maple syrup) (210 g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons bourbon, divided use (60 ml)
- ¼ - 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt (such as Maldon)
- barely sweetened whipped cream or whipped coconut cream, for serving
Instructions
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Have the hot pie shell on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment for easy clean-up, and have a baking stone in the oven if you've got one.
- Spread the pecan halves on a small baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven until fragrant and very slightly darkened in color, 10-12 minutes. To check if the pecans are thoroughly toasted, let one cool on the counter, then taste it – it should be crispy and have a toasty flavor. Let the nuts cool, then use your fingers to break each half into 4-8 pieces.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 275º.
- In a medium-large saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar and salt. Off the heat, gently whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the sorghum syrup, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the bourbon. Return the pot to a low flame and cook, stirring constantly with a flexible heat-proof spatula, until the mixture is warm to the touch (130ºF on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of bourbon and the pecan pieces. Pour the mixture into the hot, pre-baked pie shell. (If the pie shell has cooled, return it to the 275º oven for 5 – 10 minutes to heat it up.)
- Bake the pie at 275º until the custard is mostly set, 20-30 minutes. Ways to tell when the pie is done:
- The pie wobbles slightly when you shake it from side to side, but doesn’t slosh wetly.
- When you press down on the center of the pie with the back of a spoon, the custard feels softly set, like Jell-o.
- The sides of the pie may be very slightly puffed, but they should not be so puffed that the pie cracks around the edges.
- An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160-165ºF.
- Whew! Take that pie out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature, around 3 hours; it is still cooking from residual heat. Sprinkle with the flaky salt. For the cleanest slices, chill the pie until firm (an hour or so), then cut slices and let them sit at room temperature, or place them in a low oven for just a minute or two until gently warmed (but not melted). Serve slices with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.
- I like this pie equally cold, at room temperature, or very slightly warm. It keeps well, refrigerated airtight, for up to several days.
Notes
Nutrition
1. Yummy
2. I need sorghum syrup :P
I made this pie for the first time and it came out so delicious .
I do have on question though-> my filling is a little runny. What should I do for the different for my next pie?
This pie recipe is a keeper.
Wow, that sounds and looks really delicious! Always love your photos dear Alanna!
This pie sounds just perfect. Really, Alanna, you managed to describe it so that I am drooling! (Which isn’t that hard to do, given I haven’t even had breakfast yet). Beautiful work, as always, but this one I’ll have to give a try for sure. It’s a stunner!
Kale pie??!! I’m in! Now to find that lovely sorghum syrup!
Cheers,
Maureen
jaw dropping. i don’t even!
my mom loves pecan pie but no one at home bakes, so our thanksgiving feast is always punctuated with a loveless, cloyingly sweet, storebought thing. bret and i vow this second to make this gorgeous pie happen instead, despite our utter lack of baking skills. holy moly, alanna!
Oooh, that sorghum syrup sounds spectacular! I’ll have to keep my eye on that the next time I stop by my co-op. I’ve never made a pecan pie before, can you believe it? This is such a beauty, Alanna!
I love pecan pie but I’ve never made it before! I need to get brave and actually tackle gluten free pastry. It scares me, but I think I just need to strap on my big girl apron so I can finally enjoy a slice of pie again!
Also, I love the way you and Sarah collaborate and bounce ideas of each other. Foodie friendships are the best :)
Don’t be scared! I struggled with gluten free pastries/desserts/baked goods also, until a friend introduced me to Alanna’s site two years ago. Every single recipe I have tried so far has turned out smashingly well. Patience and attention to detail are needed, but the results are worth it! After making the walnut pie Alanna posted awhile ago, I’m looking forward to trying this one. Especially since there’s so much good, local sorghum syrup in my area (Asheville, NC). Alanna, thank you for all of the scrumptious recipes :)
What a gorgeous pie to add to the Thanksgiving day table! I could so go for a huge pice right now!
I think you had another recipe a few years ago for a pecan pie that I made and liked a lot. Is this one better than that one? I loved that recipe and so did the group I brought it to as part of a pot luck.
I am craving this pie! Looks so yummy!
xoxoBella | http://xoxobella.com
“it’s basically kale” haha exactly!! the flaky salt on top of this is everything!!
This looks so yummy, and yeah it’s the same as kale! haha I’m craving some pie now! x
Ariadna || RAWR BOWS
Gorgeous pie Alanna! I’m so glad you couldn’t find the dark corn syrup!! :)
Oh, I just love this idea! I’ve often wondered how sorghum molasses would do in making nut brittle, but now I need to just make this pie! xo.
I am making this for Thanksgiving and want to leave out the bourbon. Do I need to add some other liquid in its place?
Hi Terri, that’s a good question. You could probably just omit it; or you could try subbin in coffee or tea in its place. Let me know how it goes!
I’d really like to make this for Thanksgiving, but I can’t find the sorghum buttermilk pie crust recipe! It looks like the link takes me to your normal pie crust, so I’m curious what the ratios are in the variation. I also have you book and am wondering if I can follow the flaky pie dough recipe and sub the oat or millet for sorghum?
Thank you for your question. I realized that my link was going to the wrong recipe! I’ve updated to link to the correct recipe which includes sorghum and buttermilk variations. But you’re exactly right – you just swap in sorghum for the millet flour. Did you try it yet?