Coconut Pecan “Why Not” Pie with Walnuts and Toffee
March 15, 2011 at 1:43 am 83 comments
17 and Baking turns two years old this week. I almost missed it.
In the past, I spent afternoons alone in the kitchen, flour dusting my palms and lots of quiet thoughts in my head. Afterwards I wrote about the baking process, my love for fresh ingredients, the joy of brainstorming desserts and sharing them with my family. I had more ideas than photographs.
I went a record-breakingly long time without posting as of today. Looking at my life it’s clear why I’m struggling to blog. Though I’m happier than ever, I’m living between sips of coffee and half hour power-naps. The biggest issue is that I haven’t been baking. At all. I use photographs of desserts I baked last summer to keep this blog running. While there’s a trunk of baking supplies beneath my bed and a working oven in the dorm building down the street, I haven’t used it once this year.
Over Thanksgiving and winter break, reunited with family, I obligingly creamed butter and whipped cream, but frankly, much of the magic was gone. I’ve never lost my passions for writing, photography and baking, but my weariness shows. I’m scared that 17 and Baking is in decline, that I’m losing something I consider such an important part of myself.
My boyfriend I-’s birthday was a few Fridays ago. He wanted to go up to Maine and spend several days with his family, and at the last minute I went along too.
“You’ll be able to bake,” he said, convincing me to come.
I was nervous to meet his parents and sister and his friends, more nervous than I wanted to let on. But for the first time in a long time, I was excited to make something for his birthday. That outburst of butterflies in my chest was so comfortingly familiar, so nearly forgotten, it was almost painful.
The next afternoon we drove to the local grocery store. I’m not used to buying staples at once – usually I have all the basic ingredients on hand, though I might need more chocolate slabs or an unusual spice. We picked up flour, sugar, heavy cream, local homemade butter. But I couldn’t decide what to make. I hadn’t flipped through a cookbook or wanted to make something in so long, and I actually felt out of my element in the baking aisle.
I- kept making suggestions, and I kept shooting them down. The possibilities were overwhelming. “You have to pick something,” he said finally as we wheeled the cart around the entire store for the third or fourth time. “Make a pecan pie.”
Why not?
We threw pecans into the cart. “Maybe some walnuts?” I- was holding another bag. “Those might be good with the pecans.” Into the cart. “Milk chocolate toffee bits? In the pie? Yes?” Yes. He kept smiling whenever he saw me start to smile back.
I don’t always like getting a million suggestions from someone else when it comes to baking, but I didn’t mind. Even when he paused at the end of the aisle and added, “You should put in some coconut.” I know my dad will picture my usual eye-roll and heavy sigh but instead I said, “Why not?”
I watched every bag, carton, box pass across the scanner and pack into shopping bags. I helped carry them to the car trunk. At the house, I arranged them on the counter and stared for a good minute. It felt unreal.
I winged a good deal of the recipe, just throwing things in. I-’s mom and sister popped in a few times to see how I was making the pie totally from scratch. There was a moment when the crust was in the freezer and the nuts were all chopped in a bowl and suddenly I felt like I was breathing for the first time in months.
I-’s family and I ate dinner together as the pie cooled in the kitchen. When the plates were cleared, I’-s dad went next door to borrow a bit of bourbon so I could make bourbon whipped cream. I beat the cream to stiff peaks, folded in the bourbon, and cut the pie. I could feel my heart thumping and the heat rising to my cheeks as the first slices made it to the table, so nervous. What if it wasn’t good? What if I was really, really out of practice?
“Oh my gosh,” somebody said, and round 2 of pie became a reality.
Later I- and I brought a wedge of pie over to the neighbors, along with some whipped cream. It turned out the bourbon was decades old, saved from a wedding. I couldn’t believe something so special had been opened and shared. When I- and I headed back to his house, I kept hoping the pie would be delicious, wanting them to get as much happiness from it as possible.
None of the whipped cream survived the night, but in the morning, I pulled out the Canon and shot some food photography for the first time in too long.
An out-of-the-blue pecan pie, dropped into my life weeks before 17 and Baking turns two. There are a lot of things I love about this pie – it’s sophisticated and rustic, unfussy with complex flavors. It isn’t overly sweet or sticky and there’s no light corn syrup involved. I love that my boyfriend came up with most of it. I love that it was shared and gobbled up embarrassingly fast. In so many ways, this pie reminded me of why I love to bake and why I’ll continue to blog.
Happy birthday, 17 and Baking. Eat some pie.
No light corn syrup! The resulting pie isn’t as sturdy to slice as others, but it’s a lot less sticky and sugary. It wasn’t soupy at all, a pitfall some pecan pies fall into. It helps that the pie filling is nestled between a flaky, buttery crust and a not-too-sweet whipped cream jazzed up with bourbon.
The toffee bits we found were from Hershey’s, in the baking section. You could replace them with chocolate chips or leave them out completely, but I thought they added something special and different to the pie.
When I considered the coconut flakes, I didn’t want the pie to become too sweet. We got sweetened coconut flakes (and besides, it’s so hard to find unsweetened ones in the average grocery store.) I discovered a way to “unsweeten” sweetened coconut flakes, and while it isn’t a perfect substitute, it works in a pinch.
Place the sweetened coconut flakes in a sieve rinse with very hot water, until all the sugar washes off. Squeeze out the excess liquid with your hands and spread the flakes out on a flat sieve or paper towel. When they dry they’ll be un-sweetened and fluffy again.
Coconut Pecan “Why Not” Pie with Walnuts and Toffee
Makes a 9″ pie
A 17 and Baking original
Crust
1 stick cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons ice water
Filling
2 eggs
½ cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
½ cup chocolate toffee bits
Bourbon Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
To make the crust, stir the flour and sugar together in the bowl of a mixer. Use the paddle to beat the butter in, cutting it until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs (you can also do this in a food processor or by hand with a pastry blender or fork.) Dribble in the water while stirring the mixture until the dough clumps. Gently knead a few times until the dough forms a ball. Flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll the dough out into a circle and press into a 9″ glass pie pan. Freeze for half an hour.
To make the filling, lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter, which should be cooled to room temperature. Mix in the sugar, flour, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix the pecans, walnuts, coconut and toffee bits together in a large bowl, then combine with the egg mixture. Pour into the unbaked 9” pie crust and top with pretty pecan halves. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake for another 55 minutes, or until crust is golden and top has gently cracked. Cool to room temperature.
To make the bourbon whipped cream, whip the heavy cream by hand or with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the bourbon with a heavy spatula. Refrigerate until using and dollop on the slices of pie.
Printer-Friendly Recipe – Coconut Pecan “Why Not” Pie with Walnuts and Toffee
Entry filed under: Pies/Tarts. Tags: Christmas, coconut, family, holiday, Maine, nuts, pecans, pie, tarts, Thanksgiving, toffee, travel, walnuts.
83 Comments Add your own
Leave a reply to pursuitofhealthfulness Cancel reply
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
17 and Baking 
1. jenny | March 15, 2011 at 1:46 am
I love this!! You are such an amazing baker – storyteller… I understand it gets hard to keep up sometimes but don’t worry; your fans will always be waiting :)
2. mitzi song | March 15, 2011 at 2:49 am
you are an amazing baker.
i gotta try that bourbon whipped cream!
3. Elissa's Dad | March 15, 2011 at 2:54 am
My baby’s blog turns two and very soon your birthday will come to pass too. I have missed your posts here because I am a fan like so many others.
Glad you had a chance to take a breather and that you are back refreshed and ready to blog.
Remember how I commented a while back about how you always change? I am feeling that strange bittersweetness again…first I lose hand model status, now another man takes my brainstorming and eye-rolling place…..you are still perfect!
4. Vivian | March 15, 2011 at 3:39 am
Like one of the previous comments said, you are an amazing storyteller. Your posts go beyond typical food blogs and actually move me somehow. You’re truly amazing. This post is bittersweet, and actually makes me a bit worried about college because as a high school student, I’m already struggling to keep up with sleep and everything else! But anyways, thanks for another amazing post!
5. Cate | March 15, 2011 at 3:42 am
OH MY GOSH, that looks so delicious. :>
6. J. | March 15, 2011 at 5:43 am
Hey Elissa – wonderful pie and wonderful post (as always)! I’m really happy for you that you had time to bake something again ;)
7. Liz @ Blog is the New Black | March 15, 2011 at 5:54 am
Happy birthday! :) This looksg raet- LOVE the addition of coconut!
8. Warm Vanilla Sugar | March 15, 2011 at 6:03 am
This pie looks beyond yummy! I love all the flavours you chose for this pie. I can imagine them exploding in my mouth!
9. Jae | March 15, 2011 at 7:46 am
Literally magnificent post as always. I’m reading this in the car while I go to school and am amazed at the delicate sweetness of the post:)
10. Erika ~TiptoeButterfly~ | March 15, 2011 at 8:47 am
girl – i’m printing this out NOW – yummy!!!!
11. Becca | March 15, 2011 at 9:48 am
Your story made me remember how I’m struggling with my writing this year as I adjust to life as a first-time English teacher in a foreign country. Thanks for the sweet reminder that sunshiny days will come, and that I should ultimately keep doing what I love.
12. Nette | March 15, 2011 at 9:54 am
I always get excited when I see your blog pop up on my RSS reader.
I remember my interests shifting a lot while I was in university. In first year, I was excited to live in a residence that had a piano readily available in a quiet, private place. But then, when I got there, my piano books mainly lived under my bed — just like your baking supplies — rarely touched. But don’t worry: I graduated last year, and I’m back at it, as serious as I ever was. The things you were once passionate about will be there when you’re ready for them again… including your readers!
Beautiful post, tasty recipe! Did you know it was pie day yesterday?
13. Elissa | March 15, 2011 at 10:44 am
Nette – I did know 3/14 was pie day but I totally forgot when I wrote up this post. Lucky timing! Did you know that 3.14 backwards spells PIE?
14. Helena | March 15, 2011 at 10:10 am
I always come back here because I love the stories behind your recipes. Please keep sharing! Oh and it does help that I love cake :)
15. Danielle | March 15, 2011 at 10:17 am
I’m so glad you got your culinary food grove back, I’ve missed you. Your pie looks delicious. I felt like I was reading the script for an episode of Chopped, with the secret ingredients!
16. Ann Flora | March 15, 2011 at 10:44 am
It’s so hard when fatigue gets in the way of your passion. You begin to doubt yourself and feel, yes, loss. But, as you found, it’s there waiting to revive with enough space and time. One of the great arts in life is KEEP room for our loves amidst all the demands and business.
Now, I might just have to make this pie of yours and share it with a baker friend who loves coconut and pecans together. Thanks for sharing your creation.
17. Sharlene | March 15, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Congratulations, Elissa! It’s good to see that you haven’t lost your touch or your ability to tell a beautiful story. It’s good to see that you’re well and enjoying college life as you should.
18. Jenny | March 15, 2011 at 12:15 pm
Hey Elissa,
It’s great to read you again – but I know exactly what you’re feeling. Our house is under construction and I haven’t had a working kitchen for months…and the sad thing is that I don’t really miss it. I feel guilty letting the blog go to seed (I’m keeping it alive with last summer’s photos and some random photos too), and I have been writing – but I feel completely out of practice.
Good for you on this pie – it looks great. Maybe, if you come back to Seattle for a visit this summer, we can have a cup of tea and see where we are.
Take care, many hugs.
Jenny
19. Sally | March 15, 2011 at 12:26 pm
I have to admit, my heart dropped when you talked about your blog fading away. Not only because your posts are so enjoyable to read and your recipes always inspire my own creativity in the kitchen, but because I feel a deep connection between your posts and my passions for baking. As funny as it sounds, your blog has had a profound impact on my life, since I began reading it a year and a half ago. Not only do I cherish your kitchen adventures but also your stories about life and your passions for living.
Don’t for a minute ever forget that your blog has certainly uplifted and enlightened the lives of those who share your enjoyment!
20. bell | March 15, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Congratulations and THANK YOU. This blog and its success is an enormous achievement. It is something I look forward to and it is invariably such a great pleasure to read and behold. I know I’ve said it before, but your style of writing and everything else about your blog is so beautiful. It is always inspiring, heart-warming and filled with love and passion. It is one of my great refuges if I’m feeling low, and after exploring your posts, it genuinely lifts my spirit and makes me appreciate the good things in life. You have such a huge affect on so many people and I hope that it makes you feel proud of everything you have achieved. I am an art student in Dublin, Ireland; I’m sure you know of all the financial difficulties that the world and, in particular, Ireland is currently facing. It has caused a huge amount of emigration from Ireland. Boston is one of the main destinations for the Irish, including some of my family and friends. I wanted to share something of mine with you, so here’s a charcoal animation I made in response to the economic collapse and emigration. The building is our old Irish parliament and is now our central bank. Here’s a link
THANK YOU, once again, keep going!
21. Elissa | March 15, 2011 at 12:52 pm
bell – You’re so talented and I’m honestly humbled, I can’t think of how to reply. Your comment made my day. Thank you so much for sharing your art with me!
22. betsy | March 15, 2011 at 2:00 pm
elissa, i love your writing and your recipes but i’ve just gotta say, the comment from your dad makes me cry! how absolutely sweet – his love for you really shines through. you are blessed!
23. elizabeyta | March 15, 2011 at 2:33 pm
I loved this post. I loved it because it speaks so well of how we can come back to old interests when we thought they may have passed.
By the way, your Dad’s comment all but made me cry. I wished to hug him.
College is a time to experiment and learn. Whether baking or something else. I love your writing and photography so if you were to create in another way then baking, I would still come back here. Though, your baking is pretty superior.
Enjoy!
blessings,
elizabeyta
24. Robyn | March 15, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Hey!
Gorgeous Pie!
I love reading your posts because they always move me. (And not just to eat some pie!) It’s frustrating when you can’t feel your passion and love for something, you know its there but life just gets in the way. I’m so glad you had a moment with this pie. You’re so talented and life is just so much better when our passions are at the forefront.
Can’t wait to hear stories about you baking in the dorm :) You gotta put that trunk to good use!
xRobynx
25. Tonya | March 15, 2011 at 4:24 pm
I’m so glad you found some time to re-connect with what you have always loved. Sometimes life gets away from us and we need a gentle nudge to remind us what was always there. You are at a stage of life where there is so much discovery, try to enjoy every moment of it, but don’t forget your roots either. I’ve followed your blog for sometime now, I love your writing, your photography and of course your recipes! Glad to have you back, even if it is only for a little while!
26. Leanne | March 15, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Congratulations on turning 2!! You have such a wonderful gift – I have been a follower for over a year now and look forward to each entry! Your passion shines :-)
27. Kocinera | March 15, 2011 at 4:28 pm
I’m so glad to hear that you’ve gotten back into your baking groove! That pie looks so gorgeous, and I love how you guys really made it something unique. Regarding the hiatus, I think lots of blogs go through their dry spells and burnouts. To me, it’s a good thing that you just took your time in getting back to it, rather than forcing yourself to do something you weren’t feeling passionate about. That being said, like I stated before, I’m really happy that the bloggie love has returned. Can’t wait to see more yummyness! :D
28. Gloria | March 15, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Thank you for coming back!!! You have been sorely missed… I so very much love your writing, your photography and your passion and I eagerly look forward to each and every posting that you make. The great thing about baking is that it’s always there for you whenever you want to jump in.. so never worry about the lags between postings.. they just make the next posting that much sweeter!!! Congratulations on your second blog bday!!
29. Danielle | March 15, 2011 at 7:35 pm
What a great post to come back with! I love your blog. I can truly see your passion even if you have been taking a break! Missed your writing. Really want to try to make this pie! :)
30. Sarah | March 15, 2011 at 7:44 pm
I’m so glad you had a wonderful experience baking again. And you are one brave girl to make something on the fly for boyfriend’s family! This looks AMAZING and I WILL be making it when I am baking again (I’m taking it easy trying to keep a baby in for a few more vital weeks). I truly enjoy your blog, thanks for keeping it up even with pics from last summer.
31. Brian @ A Thought For Food | March 15, 2011 at 9:07 pm
This sure does look like a wonderful way to celebrate your blog’s birthday. Congratulations!
32. Katy | March 15, 2011 at 9:56 pm
I’m afraid I’m having a little bit of the opposite problem. I’m in my third trimester in a row of baking labs that run from 7 am to 1 pm. Most people take only one or two terms of labs a year, but for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to get them all done. And I’m starting to think it wasn’t my greatest idea ever. I’m getting a little burnt out from spending all morning every day in lab…and third trimester just started. Oh well. Nothing I can really do about it now anyways..
Anyways, that pie looks delightful. I can’t wait until I can go home again so I can do some just-for-fun (and for my belly!) baking. :)
33. Chess | March 15, 2011 at 10:00 pm
I know what it feels like when your blog gets neglected and you don’t have the drive to update it. It’s almost as though your blog is a fairytale world, and the real world just gets in the way sometimes. Sometimes, that’s good, because it means reality is better than the dream-filled writing we put out for everyone to see. Unfortunately, it can also mean we’re losing sight of our dreams and the lovely rose-colored glasses we use to see the world. I’m so glad you had a great experience to bring you back, and isn’t it nice that your boyfriend had such a huge hand in it? It’s nice to be reminded, especially by someone so important. I think it’s even better that it was a spur of the moment kind of thing. If you had planned it, I don’t think your experience would’ve been so sweet! :)
34. mmarthaa | March 15, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Hi! I understand that you are not a full time blogger and that you have tons of other things to do specially school related. So for me that’s a bigger achievement to keep such a nice, complete blog up and running, everything in your photos always looks so tasty. Congratulations!!
mmarthaa.wordpress.com
35. Marta | March 15, 2011 at 11:05 pm
This one’s truly brilliant, Elissa. Congratulations! Shine on :)
36. Debbie in WA | March 15, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Happy #2, and what a nice story about your trip to Maine to visit I’s family and to create a pie especially for him and all to enjoy. I also wanted to say I was delighted with the beautiful Pistachio Chrysantemum Cupcake picture/story in the The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine. Love the color selection and the delicate details. You are so very talented in so many ways!
37. Natanya | March 16, 2011 at 12:35 am
That looks delicious! I’ve always wanted a non-sticky/overly sweet pecan pie. I’ll have to try this one!
38. Christina | March 16, 2011 at 2:59 am
Oh sweetie, things will balance out soon enough. I know that it may seem like you are not keeping up with this blog enough but you have some very true followers who understand that life is sweeping you along on some wonderful adventures and that you are only able to “write home,” as it were, every so often. We understand and we would never want to keep you from your adventure. So go out, live large and enjoy yourself. We’ll all be here ready to hear all about it when you come back. :)
39. Carla Ardian | March 16, 2011 at 4:06 am
It’s my first comment here but I have been going through your posts for a while. I love that you are back baking! This pie looks delicious.
40. RebxL | March 16, 2011 at 6:23 am
I’ve never particularly enjoyed the taste of pecan, but these pictures make me want to give them another chance. Awesome post, as always! I love how honest your entries are. :)
41. Justin Francis Kane | March 16, 2011 at 10:53 am
I know exactly how you feel when it comes to thinking that you’re losing your love for something… But the inspiration always comes back. Sometimes you need a nice long break in order to rediscover your passion for it!
Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one out there who gets this way from time to time… ;P
.
42. Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction | March 16, 2011 at 1:22 pm
Oh, I just loved reading this post… You totally drew me in with the story about the pie. What a lovely post, and an equally lovely pecan pie. Congrats on two great years of blogging!
43. Jess | March 16, 2011 at 6:22 pm
I live in Maine too. Hope you had a good time!
I can’t wait to try this out. As always, your writing and photographs are great.
44. Sally R. | March 16, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Thank you for another amazing post. Clearly you are juggling a lot of things right now and I’m so grateful that the blog is one of them. Your pie looks incredible!
45. bakingforhersoul | March 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm
Elissa, I remember the first time I came to your blog was when you made “Tiny Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Buttons”. After over a year of not reading any food blogs, I found yours again and it brought back memories. I totally relate to the grocery store scene you described; that happens almost every time I go to the store with my boyfriend…however, I couldn’t just come home and whip up a (delicious) pecan pie without finding a recipe first (especially for my boyfriend’s family!), since I’m so inexperienced. You gave me something new to aspire to! Thanks for sharing your story, recipe, and pictures.
46. Christina @ This Woman Cooks! | March 16, 2011 at 8:14 pm
I just stumbled upon your blog today.You have a gift- an incredible writing style and eye for ingredients. The fact that you made this pie after a long hiatus speaks volumes. It’s okay to step back, maybe this will help you to step forward again. Glad to have found you!
47. Chelsey Green | March 16, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Elissa, what a beautiful post! I am nervous for next year about blogging as well! I don’t want to loose something that has become such a large part of who I am and plays such a roll as to why I am attending the school I am.
48. Victor @ Random Cuisine | March 16, 2011 at 10:32 pm
I know how you fell about keeping up your blog. We follow you because you have a gift with words and amazing photography.
I too always wonder if my blog will come to a decline considering that I have been blogging for over 2 years. As a PhD student, I’m always keeping myself busy with school work and organizing cooking sessions. Whenever I have 5 mins to spare, I write a blog post piece by piece. I only spend about 5-10 hours per week on blogging including picture taking and editing. Remember quality over quantity. A bit like the scientific world, it is always better to publish high-quality papers over dozens of decent-quality papers.
Hope it helps. Cheers,
– Victor
49. Lauren | March 16, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Elissa, seeing your words here always makes me smile, and I’m so thrilled that you’ve found your baking magic once more. Congratulations on two years of blogging – I cannot wait to watch you grow over the years to come!
And this pie? Oh my. Wonderful.
50. Hannah | Oven Hoots | March 17, 2011 at 1:15 am
wow! how did you come up with a recipe all on your own?
51. Elissa | March 17, 2011 at 9:52 am
Hannah – I looked at a couple of basic pecan pie recipes to get an idea of proportions, then I went ahead and made mine, which was a little different because of the new ingredients.
52. pursuitofhealthfulness | March 17, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Oh my goodness, my fiance would love me (EVEN MORE) if I made this for him! He loves German’s Chocolate cake, so this would be a wonderful way to put a spin on it.
Thanks for strengthening my future marriage. (;
53. Spicy Bohemian | March 18, 2011 at 10:02 am
What a beautiful story! I get so excited when I see a new post from you. It makes me want to go grab a cup of coffee, turn off all distractions, and curl up on the couch with my laptop to savor every word. You’re such a beautfiul writer!