As some of you may know I have a bit of an obsession with Rebecca Rather and her bakery in Fredericksburg, Texas.  I saw her there once and I was starstruck!  She was signing a book for someone, and I thought about getting her to sign my face…but thought better of it.  OK, so I am not that obsessed.  Honestly though, the bakery is incredible and so is her Pastry Queen cookbook.  I have made a total of 16 recipes from it, and everything has been wonderful.  I know I’ve said this before, but it’s true.  No failures, no disasters, no disappointments to speak of.  Buy it now.

This last recipe that I tried from her cookbook was no exception to the rule of deliciousness.  Buttermilk Pecan Pie.  I love pecan pie.  My grandma June’s is by far my favorite.  Grandma June’s pie is a classic pecan pie with the corn syrup and yummy gooey center.  Rather’s buttermilk pie is creamier, with just a bit of gooey going on.  I am one who likes the gooey-ness, but some people are averse to pecan pie goo.  Crazy, I know.  So this would be a good alternative for those crazy goo hating people who like pecans and pie.

I did not make my own pie crust.  I am so very sorry.  I had a Pillsbury one in the freezer and was short on time, so I gave in and took a shortcut.  One day I will have the time to make everything from scratch all the time, but at this point in my life I do not have that kind of time!

Serve this pie with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Buttermilk Pecan Pie

Courtesy of The Pastry Queen cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 ½  cup whole pecans or pecan pieces
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼  cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ¼  teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 un-baked pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pecans on a cookie sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes or until aromatic. Let cool, then chop if using whole pecans.
2. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter and both sugars. Beat in vanilla and then eggs, one at a time.
4. Stir in flour and salt. Add buttermilk and stir until fully incorporated. Stir in pecans.
5. Pour into pie shell.
6. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, then let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.  This pie may also be chilled.