Sue's AMAZING Pecan Pie

 Pecan Pie (Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer) 1 Ready 55 minutes 8 Servings

 INGREDIENTS      3 large eggs     1 cup sugar     1 cup Light Corn Syrup     5 tablespoons Unsalted butter ; melted     1 teaspoon vanilla     1/2 teaspoon salt     2 cups pecans  Servings  

 INSTRUCTIONS  Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spread 2 cups of coarsely chopped pecans on a baking sheet. Toast the nuts in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes. 

 Whisk until blended:  3 large eggs  1 cup sugar  1 cup light corn syrup  5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted  1 teaspoon vanilla  1/2 teaspoon salt  Stir in the toasted nuts. Pour into an unbaked pie crust. Bake until the edges are firm and the center seems set but quivery, like gelatin, when the pan is nudged, 35 to 45 minutes.

 Let cool on a rack for at least 1-1/2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  The pie can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store in the refrigerator, but let warm to room temperature or warm in a 275 degree oven for 15 minutes before serving.  

Variations:  For a dark pecan pie with a caramel-like taste, substitute light or dark brown sugar and/or dark corn syrup.  Use 1 tablespoon of dark rum in place of the vanilla.

Sue: I mix honey, maple syrup, malt syrup or rice syrup. Sometimes I add coconut sugar. It kind of depends on what I have.