Magical mystery pie

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT) - Mystery pecan pie is one of 410 recipes in "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-Off Cookbook: Recipes from Americas Favorite Cooking Contest" (Wiley, $29.95).

Mary McClain was the $1,000 winner in the 16th bake-off contest in 1964. The collection of recipes includes all the $1 million grand prize recipes from the amateur cooking contest, as well as those that have become classics, such as the tunnel of fudge cake or French silk chocolate pie.

The book also features snippets on the winners and their inspirations and a brief history of the contest through the years.

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MYSTERY PECAN PIE

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 to 45 minutes

Serves: 8

This recipe is from "Pillsbury Best of the Bake-off Cookbook: Recipes From Americas Favorite Cooking Contest" (Wiley, $29.95).

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust

Cream cheese layer:

1 (8-ounces) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

Ľ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Pecan layer:

3 eggs

Ľ cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 Ľ cups chopped pecans

Instructions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass baking dish as directed on box for one-crust filled pie.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese layer ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended and smooth. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat three eggs with electric mixer on medium speed. Add remaining pecan layer ingredients, except pecans. Beat until well blended.

Spread cream cheese mixture in crust-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with pecans. Gently pour egg mixture over pecans. Cover crust edge with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil to prevent browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of bake time.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely, about two hours, before serving. Cover and refrigerate remaining pie.

Per serving: 570 calories; 64 grams carbohydrates; 32 grams fat (11 saturated);

140 milligrams cholesterol; 330 milligrams sodium; 1 gram fiber

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© 2009, The Modesto Bee (Modesto, Calif.).