About Feast Everyday

Based in Corning, New York and the beautiful Finger Lakes. Started in 2009 by Barbara Blumer with her family and friends. Her husband, Tom, now regularly contributes, too.

Over 900 Recipes and still growing

From muffins to curries with step-by-step photos and how-to tips: see recipe index https://feasteveryday.blogspot.com/p/recipes-index.html

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Saturday, December 29, 2018

Three Chimneys Famous Hot Orange Marmalade Pudding

Charming By Day
One of our best food experiences EVER was going to The Three Chimneys restaurant on the majestic Isle of Skye in Scotland in September of 2003, fifteen years ago.

Even though it was in a remote location in a 100-year-old  stone crofter's cottage, it was listed in the Top 50 restaurants in the World in 2002 and 2003.  Shirley Spear and her husband Eddie opened it in 1984 with no restaurant experience and created a world class destination. 

Homepage
Even more charming by night
From their website today, it looks like the Spears have done very well, adding hotel rooms. (We had to stay 21 miles away in Portree,  We drove to and from on narrow, sheep-in-charge roads, in pouring rain, but that made the experience all the more memorable.) 

The whole place including the kitchen was refurbished in 2014 and looks beautiful.  Now Chef Scott Davies is taking them to even higher levels, after Shirley's retirement from the kitchen, winning high praise and many new awards.  The seasonal menus are mouth watering:  The Three Chimneys

The food was literally pulled out of the nearby sea or made from incredibly fresh ingredients.  My notes from the trip say I had a pigeon starter, oysters on the half shell, filet of beef and a chocolate tart with pistachios.  Tom had scallops, lobster bisque, venison and marmalade pudding, which he adored.  
I bought her cookbook as my souvenir
For our Christmas day as a special treat for Tom, I will make their signature Hot Marmalade Pudding with Drambuie Custard which has been on their menu since day one, and has been described as "the best pudding I have ever tasted" by food critic Oliver Peyton, and it was chosen for BBC's Great British Menu.   

They make their own orange marmalade for the recipe but look for a  coarse-cut Seville orange marmalade like Dundee's.  Drambuie, a sweet liqueur made from Scottish whiskey, spikes the sauce. 

You will need a 3 pint (7 cups) pudding tin with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. I purchased mine from Williams-Sonoma a long time ago, but a suitable one by Mrs. Anderson's Baking is available on Amazon.

---Barbara

A steamed pudding but very light due to so little flour

Three Chimneys Famous Hot Orange Marmalade Pudding

Ingredients for the Pudding:
150 g/5.3 ounces fine brown breadcrumbs (hard to find, so make them)
120 g/4.2 ounce soft brown sugar
25 g/.09 ounces self-raising white flour (brown if you can find it)
120 g (8.46 T.)  fresh butter, plus extra for greasing the bowl (room temperature)
8 Tablespoons well-flavored, coarse-cut Seville orange marmalade  (Dundee's)
3 large eggs (room temperature)
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda plus 1 Tablespoon water to mix
Butter the pudding tin, covering all of the crevices and the center tube well.
(Measure out the dry ingredients by weight on a scale.)
Place the breadcrumbs flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Melt the butter together with the marmalade in a saucepan over gentle heat.
Pour the melted ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly.
Whisk the eggs until frothy and beat gently into the mixture until blended together well.
Last of all, dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon of cold water.
Stir this into the pudding mixture, which will increase in volume as it absorbs the baking soda.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.
Cover it with a close-fitting lid.
Place the pudding tin in a large pot in boiling water which comes halfway up the side of tin.
Cover the pot with a close fitting lid and simmer the pudding for 2 hours, topping off the water throughout the cooking period.
Turn out onto a serving dish, slice and serve hot, with whipped cream, fresh cream, ice cream or as they do at The Three Chimneys, with Drambuie Custard sauce (see below).

Drambuie Custard Sauce

Ingredients for the Sauce:
275 ml (1.16 cups) fresh milk
275 ml (1.16 cups) fresh double cream (use heavy or whipping cream if you can't find it)
6 egg yolks  (at room temperature)
100 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar (or superfine)
2 Tablespoons Drambuie liqueur

Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar until pale, slightly thick and creamy.

Gently warm the milk and cream until it is just beginning to bubble.  Pour the milk and cream on to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk together.  (I temper mine first by adding a little at a time to avoid curdling the eggs.)  Return the mixture to the saucepan.  

Bring to the boil very slowly, stirring all the time.  As soon as it begins to thicken, or coats the back of the wooden spoon, remove from the heat and pour into a jug (sauceboat) for serving.  Stir in the Drambuie.

Serve immediately.  Alternatively, cool the custard quickly in a bowl sitting on ice and refrigerate when cold, until required.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Drunken Fig Jam from Christine


Christine's Backyard Produce: Mission Fig Preserves
My sister, Christine, sent us delicious homemade fig preserves for Christmas.  Her tree in her backyard in Sonoma produced a huge crop of figs this year, so she decided to make them into gifts.  


Christine and her tree
We were in California in September and were impressed by her backyard tree.  It still had LOTS of fruit on it.  I was calculating how much we could sell them for back East, where a tub is 6 for $3.99.  Mission figs are the dark ones, deep purple almost black in color with a nutty flavor.  
"The Mission fig is a popular variety of the edible fig. It was first introduced to what is now the United States in 1768 when Franciscan missionaries planted it in San Diego. It was also planted in the subsequent missions that the Franciscans established up the California coast."-- Wikipedia


She had already made  fig preserves, so she said that we should act surprised when we opened her Christmas package.  Surprise!

--- Barbara

Drunken Fig Jam

Servings: About six 1/2-pint jars

Ingredients:
2 lemons
4 pounds ripe fresh figs (preferably black), stemmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 9 cups)
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup brandy or Cognac
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Directions:
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons (yellow part only) in long strips. Cut peel into matchstick-size strips (about 3 tablespoons).

Combine lemon peel, figs, sugar, brandy, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in heavy large deep saucepan; let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Bring fig mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; continue to boil until jam thickens and is reduced to 6 cups, stirring frequently and occasionally mashing mixture with potato masher to crush large fig pieces, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat.

Ladle mixture into 6 hot clean 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water 10 minutes. Cool jars completely. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.

Source: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/drunken-fig-jam-350120

Thursday, December 27, 2018

Bruce's Famous Paella from Christine

Cooked on the grill
Bruce made his famous paella for Christmas eve this year --- which he cooks on his Green Egg Grill.  He added lobster this time, and parboiled it a little before adding.  Usually he does scallops.  I am lucky because he makes paella about every 2 months.  
---- Christine

Paella

★★★★★
Servings: 20 Source: Spanish Table

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cups bomba rice
4 cups chicken stock
20 threads saffron 
4 chicken thighs
2 chorizo sausage 
2 teaspoons pimenton
4 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated tomato
8 shrimp
12 mussels
4 something else  (scallops or lobster)


DIRECTIONS

Heat stock with saffron 
Brown chicken 
Add onions and garlic and saute
Add chorizo and cook until heated
Add rice and stir until coated
Add tomato and paprika stirring
Add stock
Start timer for 16 minutes
Add other meats about 4 minutes in 
Watch bottom
Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes when done. 
Spritz with lemon as desired.

Note from Barbara:  There's a whole kit on Amazon on sale right now.

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Chocolate Eton Mess (Ina Garten) from Colleen

Raspberries with Chocolate Meringues and Whipped Cream
I made this for Christmas dinner this year.  I had leftover egg whites from making Aranygaluska so I decided instead of throwing them out ---which is what usually happens two weeks later when I find the Tupperware of egg whites in the fridge ---to find a way to use them up:  Chocolate Eton Mess.  

I like the idea of using chocolate meringue instead of plain ones which helps cut the sweetness of the dish a little (but who are we kidding, this is sweet and rich.  A little goes a long way.) 


I found the recipe for Eton Mess from Ina Garten and basically followed her instructions for the berries --- you could also use strawberries or a mix of berries.


---Colleen  


Chocolate* Eton Mess

Chocolate Meringues**

6-7 egg whites
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
1 cup of powdered sugar
4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
4 teaspoons cacao nibs (intense buttery chocolatey morsels)
2 teaspoons espresso powder
dash of salt

Whip the egg whites and the cream of tartar until foamy.  Slowly add powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.  Fold in the cocoa powder and espresso powder and cacao nibs and salt until blended.  Spoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet in small rounds -  bake at 225 for one hour.  Turn off oven and leave meringues in oven for 8 hours or overnight until cool.  Store in airtight container until needed.

For the Eton Mess:

4 containers of raspberries
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon raspberry liquor
2 cups whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
chocolate sauce (optional) I use Torani’s Dark Chocolate Sauce

Put two cartons of raspberries in pan with 1 cup sugar and lemon juice. Mash the berries with fork and cook over medium heat for ten minutes until reduced and syrupy.  Fold in the liquor and the other two boxes of raspberries.  Refrigerate until chilled.

Whip cream with vanilla and powdered sugar until firm. 

Layer cream, then berries, then broken pieces of meringue in parfait glasses or large glass bowl.  Repeat.  Garnish with chocolate syrup and berries.  If anyone doesn’t want fruit, you can do a small dish layered with whipped cream, meringue pieces and chocolate syrup. You can make in advance and chill for one hour.

*You can use store bought meringues which are available plain or flavored. 
**I created this because I had leftover egg whites from making yeast bread for Christmas and this was a “found” dessert that was easy to do.   Win!

---Colleen

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Gallets (Belgian Waffle Cookies)

Buttery cookies made with brown sugar, vanilla and almond 
I call them gallets but other members of my family call them gullets.   Either way, they are delicious Belgian cookies, baked in a special waffle iron, with a very small grid, making a crispy, thin cookie.

My Aunt Niece (Berniece) introduced us to them because she had Belgian heritage.  My first cousin, her daughter, Susan says,  
"My great grandmother brought our family gallet iron over with her when she came from Belgium. [in 1893].  When I was growing up, my uncle, aunt and mom would take turns using it.  You'd schedule time to use the gallet iron." 
She also told me that they are New Year's cookies in Belgium.  The story she was told was that children would go from house to house and say 
"Bonne Annee, give me a gallet and I'll go away."   
Susan ---with her husband, Terry's help--- still make a full batch (30 dozen) at Christmastime, but use an electric 4-at-time waffle maker.  Gallets make great gifts.  Susan says all of her 8 first cousins on her mother's side make them for their families at Christmas.  Plus they will be made for weddings, where cookie tables are part of the culture, in the Pittsburgh area.  

If my memory serves me, we used to receive batches of them in tins, mailed to us from Pennsylvania, to our outpost in Texas.  At some point, Aunt Niece gave us a waffle iron of our own, and we started making them with enthusiasm every Christmas.  I fondly remember my dad making them (with my mom's help who prepared the dough.)  Later, after I was an adult and I had moved away, he would mail them to me.  I think we all have good memories and associations of my dad and gallets.  

Eventually, all of my siblings began making them for their families.  And now some of their kids, my nieces and nephews, are making them, too.  My younger brother has the official Hall family gallet iron, but everyone else has found a version to acquire.  My brother-in-law, Rex has hunted them down on eBay with success.  And there is place in Minnesota called Belgian Cookie Irons that makes both stove-top and electric types.  And Palmer Mfg makes electric ones, but not sure about their quality. 



Ours was not electric.  But they do speed up the process.  Otherwise, it is one at a time, an all-day affair of making stacks of cookies.  The original recipe makes 30 dozen!  That's 360 cookies! 



To make a more reasonable quantity, I have downsized the recipe:

Gallets (Belgian Waffle Cookies)  (1/4 Original Recipe)

Makes 90 cookies

Plan on 3 hours for making them, if using a single stove-top iron.

1/2 lb butter (2 sticks), softened
12 ounces light brown sugar (1.5 cups)
3 eggs, at room temperature
4  cups flour, up to 5 cups, as needed
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Cream together butter and sugar, on medium high, until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating them in, after each addition. Add vanilla and almonds extracts and stir until combined.  A little at a time, on medium-low, add the dry ingredients, starting with the salt and cinnamon before the flour, mixing until well-combined.  The batter will become very stiff.  It should not be too wet.  Add more flour if needed until the texture is dry enough to roll into small fingers which hold their own shape.
A new iron might require seasoning, i.e., coating it with several light coats of vegetable oil or cooking spray before beginning to bake the cookies.  You don't want them to stick.  Once your iron is used it may not require coating with oil before using.  The first few might not be perfect, but will be perfect for feeding the cook.
Heat to medium high, and begin producing cookies.  Depending on your stove, they may take 30 - 60 seconds on each side.  You will have to make some tests to determine the ideal timing.
When perfectly browned, lift the iron, open it up and let the baked cookie fall out onto the counter or a rack to cool.
Ideally, you would have evenly browned cookies on both sides, crispy and cooked all the way through.  The cookie should break in two with a nice snap.
To keep your cookies crisp, store them in plastic bags, or airtight tins.

B

P.S. from Emily:  Gluten free is as good as the original.  :)  I used a gluten free storebought flour called Cup 4 Cup developed by the French Laundry restaurant available at stores like Target and on Amazon. But I like King Arthur  Gluten-free Measure for Measure flour better.  It doesn't have milk.
Emily's Gluten Free Gallets made in Texas
P.S. from Ted:  Chris made a gluten-free version this year, too.  Delicious.

P.S. from Colleen:  The iron that Steve got from your parents was made by Nordic Ware and it was stamped Gaufrette.  I found a new one on eBay and got it for Steve as the old one's handle had failed and it was dangerous to use.

Colleen says she makes half the original recipe and Steve makes them in the waffle iron, usually on Christmas eve.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Molasses Crinkles by Colleen

UPDATED 2020

Hi Barb---
These are an easy way to deliver on gingerbread flavors without dealing with the tricky gingerbread dough which is hard to roll.  Really easy and kids love to help with the glaze.  (See drizzle video)
       --- Colleen

Molasses Crinkles

3 sticks of butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses*
4 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger

*Spray the inside of the measuring cup with a little bit of cooking spray/Pam before you pour in the molasses. It will make it easier for the molasses to pour out of the cup. This trick works for anything sticky; honey, peanut butter, etc.

Optional Glaze/Drizzle:
Powdered sugar (about 2 cups)
Milk or water (about 1/4 cup, or as needed to make icing easy to work with)

Cream butter and sugar and add eggs and molasses. 
Then stir in dry ingredients.
Roll into balls the size of walnuts and refrigerate on waxed paper-lined baking sheet until thoroughly chilled.
Heat oven to 375.
Take each ball and dip top in sugar or sanding sugar (sugar sprinkles).
Place on greased baking sheet, sugar side up, and sprinkle a few drops of water on top of each cookie.
Bake until just set, but not hard for 10-12 minutes.Let cool for a few minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to rack to cool.

You can drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze to make them more festive.
Mix powdered sugar with either milk or water and put in squeeze bottle.
Move bottle over cookies back and forth while squeezing lightly.Let drizzle set before putting in container.
Or put in gift bags.  Bags can be purchased in cake decorating departments at places like Michael's or online at Amazon.  These are made by Wilton.  
     ---Colleen

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Chocolate Pistachio Cookies

Upfront I will mention that I left out a tablespoon of butter, so I assume yours would spread a little more than mine did.  Nonetheless, they were delicious!  A little like a biscotti but not as crunchy. --Barbara


Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
(adapted from Gourmet, adapted from Ritz-Carlton Montreal)

Makes about 120 bite-size cookies

6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (unsweetened)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup packed fresh, soft light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup salted shelled pistachios, finely chopped

Divide the chocolate into 2 portions:  2.5 ounces and 3.5 ounces.  Finely chop each portion.

Melt the first portion, the 2.5 ounces in a small bowl, over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth.  Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool while you do the next steps.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the softened butter (the stick plus 1 T.) plus the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, being sure to scrape down the sides from time to time.

Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.

On low to medium, add the flour mixture, in batches, a little at a time until just combined.  Scrape down the sides.

Then beat in the melted chocolate until incorporated and the dough becomes chocolate brown throughout.

Stir in the pistachios and the 3.5 ounces of chopped chocolate.  (by hand even if you have to use your hands.)

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 6 equal portions (you can weigh them out if you want to be precise) and roll each piece into a 12-inch-long log (3/4 inch thick).  It will be a skinny roll.

Wrap each log in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Put the rack in the middle position of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees.

Line a heavy duty cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Slice 1/2 inch rounds from 1 frozen log and arrange about 1 inch apart.

(If your cookie sheet is not heavy duty, put an extra cookie sheet underneath to prevent cookies from overbrowning.)

Bake until cookies rise slightly then fall --- the tops of the cookies will be cracked.  About 10-12 minutes.

Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Logs can be frozen for up to 3 months and baked as needed.

B

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Date Nut Bread with Rum

UPDATED 2023
A holiday treat I made for Tom by adding dark rum and fresh dates to a traditional date nut bread recipe, but it would be good any time of year.  
This has become his preferred version of date nut bread.  Now I use Spiced Rum and since they have discontinued selling boxed dates in our area, I have started using bulk dates or chopping up pitted dates. I have also mixed the nuts -- including hazelnuts with pecans.  It is a very flexibile recipe.  Just don't overbake it or it will be dry.  
--- Barbara

Date Nut Bread with Rum

Makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup Spiced Rum or Jamaican Dark Rum
1/2 cup water
8 ounces chopped baking dates or pitted dates
6 individual fresh Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the Medjool dates and the nuts.

In a small saucepan, bring the water and rum to a rolling boil, then turn off and add the chopped dates.  Let them steep for 15 minutes which will allow them, at the same time, to cool down.

After the 15 minute cool-down, in a large bowl, beat the sugar and egg together with a whisk until smooth and pale yellow.   Add the vanilla and mix.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nuts and toss until evenly distributed.

Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt with a wooden spoon or spatula, just until mixed.  It will be a very dry, shaggy mixture.

Pour the liquid including the dates on top, then mix it all together until smooth, by folding and stirring until the batter is smooth and even in texture.

If you forgot to put in the nuts, do it now.  Stir in the pecans until evenly distributed.

Pour into the greased loaf pan, then smooth out the top, and rap the pan on the counter to let any air bubbles escape.

Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 50-55 minutes until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, i.e., not wet or gooey when you pull it out.

Cool for 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a rack to cool completely before slicing.

B

Friday, December 7, 2018

Christmas Pretzel Treats

It's cookie baking season, and today I made a batch of Rolo pretzel treats --- using Christmas shaped pretzels.  (Rolos are caramel chocolate candies which look like gumdrops.)
This year I found Christmas pretzels at Aldi's.  And other years I have found them at Wegman's.

Super easy to make.  Here's a link to the original recipe:  Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pretzel Treats

It was originally posted March 12, 2014.

And I copied it here for you:

Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pretzel Treats

These treats are fun to make!  They taste like turtles, if you know what they are. 

Rolo Pretzel Treats

pretzels
Rolos
toasted whole pecans
parchment paper for the baking sheet

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unwrap all of the Rolos.  And count how many you have in total.
Toast enough whole halves of pecans to match the number of rolos.  Let cool.
Line up enough pretzels to match the number of Rolos you still have left after being unable to resist a few.
Place them in the center of the pretzels.
Bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes or just until you see the Rolos start to melt.

Remove them from the oven and then place the pecan halves on top and press down on each pecan.  We learned you have to press in the center.
Don't use the bottom side of the pecan, like above.  Use the pretty side.

Let them cool.

B

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Chocolate Pecan Clusters (Vintage)

T
They taste like toasted pecans surrounded by chocolate mousse.

Recipe is from a 1970's community cookbook, contributed by Mrs. Harold Gross (Norma).  Today her byline would probably just say Norma Gross.   She used walnuts but I prefer pecans.


---Barbara


Vintage Chocolate Pecan Clusters

Makes 30 small or 16 large clusters

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/2 squares unsweetened melted chocolate
1/2 c. sifted flour
1/4 t. baking powder
2 cups unbroken pecans (or walnuts)

Cream butter and sugar, add egg, vanilla and beat and beat and beat until creamy.  Mix chocolate in and dry ingredients which have been sifted together.  Stir in nuts, then drop by teaspoon 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. (I used parchment paper instead.) Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Thursday, November 15, 2018

No Corn Syrup Pecan Pie by Colleen

Brown Sugar instead of Corn Syrup
Since I’m on the docket to make T-Day and I haven’t made a pie in years, I thought I would do a trial run.  I wanted to find a recipe that didn’t use corn syrup.  

It is really good and easy to put together.  When I mixed it up, it looked a little scant in the pie dish, so I put a layer of pecan halves on the top of the pie in concentric circles and then sprinkled the top with a little brown sugar.

---Colleen

Brown Sugar Pecan Pie
(adapted from crazy for crust.com   by Dorothy Kern)


  • 1 pie crust 9”, from a box or homemade
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped pecans 
  • additional whole pecans (up to 1 cup) for making a top layer
  • additional brown sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place pie crust in pie pan and crimp edges as desired. Chill until ready to fill.

Whisk together both sugars, melted butter, salt, eggs, flour, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in pecans and pour in prepared crust.

Add a layer of whole pecans in concentric circles, and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Cover edges of pie crust with foil or a pie crust shield. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat on the oven to 350°F and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the middle is only slightly jiggly and the edges are set. Cool completely before slicing.

I made a simple all butter crust (referenced in the pecan pie recipe), which was okay but not great.  For the big day I think I will go with a shortbread style crust:
https://bakerbettie.com/shortbread-crust-sable-breton/
---Colleen