Vermont Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

1 6-ounce package (1½ cups) zwieback crackers; crushed
½ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter; melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese; softened
¾ cups granulated sugar
¾ cups light brown sugar; firmly packed
5 eggs
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
1¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup heavy cream
Pecan Topping
Whipped Cream
Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Blend zwieback crumbs, the ¼ cup sugar and the butter in a medium-size bowl. Press firmly over bottom and up side of a lightly buttered 9-inch spring-form pan. Chill
3. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add sugars gradually, beating until well mixed. Beat in eggs one at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and heavy cream at low speed. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour and 35 minutes.
5. Remove cake from oven; sprinkle with Pecan Topping; bake an additional 10 minutes.
6. Cool cake on wire rack; refrigerate for several hours, or overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and pecans.

Makes 16 servings

Pecan Topping
6 tablespoons unsalted butter; softened
1 cup light brown sugar; firmly packed
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. In a small bowl, combine butter with brown sugar: mix well until crumbly.
2. Blend in chopped pecans.

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Angel Pecan Pie

3 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup Ritz Cracker crumbs
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon almond flavoring

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites until foamy. Add 1 cup sugar a little at a time, beating after each addition. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Continue beating until mixture holds soft peaks.
3. In a large mixing bowl mix cracker crumbs and 1 cup pecans. Fold into meringue mixture a little at a time. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch pie plate to form a shell. Pull up mixture into peaks around edge of plate with back of spoon. Spread evenly.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly on a wire cake rack.
5. In a large mixing bowl mix cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and almond flavoring. Whip until thick and shiny. Spoon into cold pie shell.
6. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup chopped pecans round edge of cream. Using a sharp knife, cut like a pie.

Bourbon Pecan Pumpkin Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
3 egg; slightly beaten
1 16-ounce can pumpkin pie filling
¾ cups brown sugar; firmly packed
1½ cups half and half
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 recipe Brandy Pecan Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, pumpkin, ¾ cups sugar, half-and-half, 3 tablespoons bourbon, cinnamon, ginger, and salt; mix well. Pour mixture into the pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 350ºF.
5. Bake an additional 45 minutes or until set. Set aside to cool.
6. Spoon Brandy Pecan Sauce over the pie. Heat the remaining bourbon in a saucepan just long enough to produce fumes (do not boil); remove from heat, ignite, and pour over pie. Serve pie when flames die down.

Brandy Pecan Sauce
¼ cup brown sugar; firmly packed
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
¼ cup bourbon; divided

1. Combine butter and ¼ cup brown sugar in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolved.
2. Add pecans and 2 tablespoons bourbon, stirring to coat.
3. Spoon mixture over pie.

Butter Pecan Squares

½ cup unsalted butter; softened
½ cup light brown sugar; firmly packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips; divided
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; divided

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease 8-inch-by-8-inch-by-2-inch or 9-inch-by-9-inch-by-2-inch square pan
2. In a small mixer bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Blend in flour. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and ½ cup pecans. Spread into prepared pans.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Immediately, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chips.
5. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until chips soften; spread evenly. Immediately, sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup pecans; press gently onto chocolate. Cool completely. Cut into squares.

Cherry Pecan Logs

2 tablespoons evaporated milk; or more as needed
½ teaspoon rum extract
2½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup candied cherries; chopped
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Combine milk and rum flavoring in mixing bowl. Add sugar and knead in cherries until smooth and shiny. Shape in 6-inch logs, roll in wax paper and chill.
2. Combine caramels (½ lb.) And 3 tablespoons evaporated milk. Heat over boiling water until melted, stirring often. Pour in pie pan.
3. Roll logs in caramel mixture then in pecans.
4. Roll in wax paper and chill.

Chocolate Orange Fruitcake with Pecans

2½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; toasted
1 cup dried black mission figs; chopped and packed
1 cup pitted prunes; chopped and packed
1 cup pitted dates; chopped and packed
½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate; thawed
¼ cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder; packed
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pounds dark brown sugar; firmly packed
6 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate; coarsely chopped
½ cup unsalted butter; room temperature
4 ounce cream cheese; room temperature
4 large eggs; room temperature
¾ cups purchased prune butter

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pounds bittersweet (not un-sweetened) or semisweet chocolate
6 tablespoons orange juice concentrate; thawed
Chopped candied fruit peel (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Position rack in bottom third of oven. Generously butter and flour 12-cup angel food cake pan.
2. Combine toasted pecans, chopped dried figs, prunes, dates, orange juice concentrate, Grand Marnier and grated orange peel in large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sift flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt into medium bowl.
4. Combine brown sugar and 6 ounces chocolate in processor and chop into small pieces.
5. Using electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese in large bowl to blend. Add chocolate mixture and beat until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in prune butter. Stir in ¼ of dry ingredients. Mix in fruit mixture and remaining dry ingredients in 3 additions each. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
6. Bake cake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour 55 minutes until tester inserted near center with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool 5 minutes.
7. Turn pan over onto rack; let stand 5 minutes. Lift off pan; cool cake completely. Wrap cake in plastic and store at room temperature 2 days.
8. For glaze: melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted and smooth. Whisk in orange juice concentrate.
9. Place cake on rack. Spread some of chocolate glaze thickly over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
10. Spread remaining chocolate glaze over cake, covering completely. Sprinkle with chopped candied fruit peel, if desired. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes to set glaze.

Fruitcake can be prepared 3 weeks ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and refrigerate. Yield: 16 servings.

Chocolate Pecan Rum Balls

16 ounces Pecan Valley Pecan Meal
8½ ounce chocolate wafers; crushed
½ cup dark rum
⅓ cup honey
Powdered sugar

1. Combine pecans, chocolate wafers, dark rum and honey in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. Chill for 20 minutes.
3. Shape by spoonful into round balls. Store in a tightly covered, airtight container. Just before serving or giving, roll in powdered granulated sugar.

Makes 100 balls

Classic Caramel Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
36 Kraft caramels
¼ cup water
¼ cup margarine
¾ cups granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 each eggs, beaten
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Melt caramels with water and margarine in a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until smooth.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, salt and eggs. Gradually add caramel sauce; mix well. Stir in pecan halves and pour into pastry shell.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes. Pie filling will appear soft, but becomes firm as it cools.

Classic Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
3 large eggs
1 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven and a baking sheet to 300ºF.
2. In a large bowl, stir eggs, corn syrup, sugar, margarine and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the pecans. Pour into the pastry shell and place pie on the baking sheet in the oven.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 90 minutes or until golden brown.