Pecan pie is a staple of the autumn table, particularly at Thanksgiving and in Texas.

JUAN GARCIA/DMN

But even the standards can use a new edge, a different flavor to keep diners coming back for more. Food stylist Karen Elizabeth Watts assembled this collection that takes basic pecan pie and adds flavor boosters from coconut to chocolate. You'll also find ways to dress up a bakery or frozen pie.

If you're making a pie with pecans that have been in the freezer, Maida Heatter's Pies & Tarts recommends toasting all pecans after freezing because they can occasionally become limp.

If the pecans are a year old, don't risk your precious pie. Buy a fresh batch. Whether you want to toast them before adding to a pie, that's the baker's choice. Some professionals say the nuts toast enough as the pie bakes; others recommend toasting before adding them to the pie.

Also the cook's choice: whether to use pecan halves or chopped nuts. pecan halves render pieces with jagged edges, whether they are placed in perfect rings or left random; the pies with chopped nuts aren't as attractive, but the pieces are easier to cut.

Maybe you're not a baker but need to take something to Thanksgiving dinner. Try dressing up a frozen pie with a homemade topping such as Brandied Hard Sauce, flavored whipped cream or pastry leaves cut from purchased refrigerated pastry crust. Try Pillsbury's brand in a red box.

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3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup fig preserves, drained well and squeezed dry if very liquid

1 cup finely chopped dried figs

2 cups toasted pecan pieces

2 (9-inch) unbaked pie shells

Preheat oven to 300 F. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add corn syrup and vanilla; mix well.

Stir in eggs, preserves, dried figs and pecans until thoroughly incorporated. Pour mixture into pie shells.

Bake 1 hour or until centers are softly set, about 40 minutes. Makes 2 pies, or 16 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 375 (38% fat) Fat 17 g (2 g sat) Fiber 3 g

Chol 35 mg Sodium 147 mg Carb 57 g Calcium 40 mg

SOURCE: Brennan's of Houston In Your Kitchen

2 eggs, separated

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 cup toasted pecan halves

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 400 F. Whip egg whites until firm peaks form.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks and spices, vinegar, nuts, raisins and vanilla. Mix until well blended.

Fold in egg whites. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes and reduce heat to 350 F. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until pie is set. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 449 (53% fat) Fat 27 g (9 g sat) Fiber 2 g

Chol 77 mg Sodium 234 mg Carb 50 g Calcium 26 mg

SOURCE: Weir's Country Store 35th Anniversary Cookbook

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups light corn syrup

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups toasted pecan halves

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, flour, corn syrup, vanilla and eggs and beat well.

Stir in pecans, orange zest and butter. Pour into prepared pie shell and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until center is puffed and golden brown. Cool. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 458 (46% fat) Fat 24 g (4 g sat) Fiber 1 g

Chol 78 mg Sodium 217 mg Carb 60 g Calcium 23 mg

SOURCE: Pillsbury, The Complete Book of Baking

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, soft

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup toasted coconut

1 1/2 cups toasted chopped pecans

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl beat sugar, butter, corn syrup, salt and eggs with a wire whip until well blended. Stir in coconut and pecans. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Center will be soft set. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 527 (53% fat) Fat 32g (9 g sat) Fiber 3 g

Chol 100 mg Sodium 412 mg Carb 60 g Calcium 39 mg

SOURCE: Karen Elizabeth Watts

Kentucky pecan pie

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

6 ounces white or dark chocolate chips

1 cup toasted pecan halves

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat sugar, butter, bourbon, corn syrup, salt and eggs together until blended.

Stir in chocolate chips and pecans and pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until center is set. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 565 (47% fat) Fat 31 g (11 g sat) Fiber 2 g

Chol 95 mg Sodium 412 mg Carb 70 g Calcium 56 mg

SOURCE: Betty Crocker's Cookbook, Bridal Edition

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar (divided use)

4 eggs (divided use)

2 teaspoons vanilla (divided use)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

11/4 cups chopped pecans

1 cup corn syrup

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat softened cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla and salt until thick and creamy. Spread this mixture in the bottom of a prepared pie crust and sprinkle with pecans. Set aside.

Mix by hand remaining 3 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and corn syrup. Pour this mixture over pecans. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

PER SERVING: Cal 512 (52% fat) Fat 31 g (9 g sat) Fiber 2 g

Chol 125 mg Sodium 323 mg Carb 56 g Calcium 53 mg

SOURCE: Cooking with Texas Grandmas

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

1 1/3 cups plus 4 teaspoons pastry flour or 1 1/3 cups bleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons ice water

1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Divide the butter until 2 portions, about two-thirds to one-third. Cut the butter into 3/4-inch cubes. Wrap each portion of butter with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the larger amount and freeze the smaller for at least 30 minutes.

Place flour and salt in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes. Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.

Place flour and salt in another medium bowl and whisk to combine. Use a pastry cutter or rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the larger portion of the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal.

Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a resealable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from the bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes until the butter is very firm.

Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag. Set the bag aside. Sprinkle the ice water and vinegar onto the mixture, tossing it lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon the loose mixture back into the plastic bag.

Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.

Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight.

Store refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 3 months.

When ready to use, let dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes or until it's malleable.

Work quickly and on a floured surface roll the dough into a circle about 1/8 inch or slightly less thick with a floured rolling pin. Transfer to pie pan.

SOURCE: The Pie and Pastry Bible

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon sugar

Starting on medium speed and increasing to high, whip cream, vanilla and sugar in chilled bowl until stiff peaks form.

Variation: Omit the vanilla extract and add almond or orange extract.

SOURCE: Karen Elizabeth Watts

Here are some quick ways to dress up a pecan pie, whether bought or homemade. It's a matter of a "little bit of love, creativity and thinking outside the pie crust," says Carol Ritchie, Arlington cooking instructor and host of the cable-TV show Cookin' With Carol.

Indio Whipped Cream: In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters whip 2 cups whipping cream, 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey and 3 tablespoons rum or bourbon until the cream holds a soft shape.

Brandied Hard Sauce: Sift 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Beat 2 to 5 tablespoons butter until soft. Add the sugar gradually. Beat until well-blended and fluffy. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon coffee, rum, whisky, brandy or lemon juice. If desired, add 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and liqueur to taste.

Nutty goodness: Ms. Ritchie likes to dip pecan halves halfway into melted chocolate and adorn the top of a pie for a quick and elegant touch. Try it with pastry leaves, too.

Leaves and letters: Use any leftover pastry or the second crust in a box of frozen pastry to cut out leaves, using a small cookie cutter. Use a butter knife to mark off veins. You could even use small cookie cutters to spell out a name or salutation, Ms. Ritchie says. Then bake the leaves for 3 to 5 minutes in a preheated 375-F oven. Dip them in melted chocolate and brush a bit more on the pie and attach. The leaves could also be attached with ready-to-spread frosting in whatever flavor complements the pie.

Hot and cold: Spoon a scoop of eggnog ice cream on top of a warm slice of pecan pie. Dust it with freshly grated nutmeg. "It's dynamic without being difficult," Ms. Ritchie says.

Pie as art: Trim off the back crust of a slice and stand the pie up like a pyramid, she says. For more drama, dust confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder over the plate or drizzle with fruit syrup before adding the pie.

Turtle it up: Drizzle the top with caramel and chocolate syrups.

SOURCES: Maida Heatter's Pies & Tarts; Joy of Cooking

The pecan is a variety of the American hickory nut and is particularly popular in the South. It was named by American Indians and was one of their staples.

Availability: Pecans ripen from October until December.

Selection and storage: For the freshest and most flavorful pecans, choose whole ones in the shell. Look for nuts that are heavy for their size and don't rattle when shaken. There shouldn't be any cracks or holes in the shells.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services

Toasting nuts: Preheat the oven to 400 F and spread the nuts into a single layer in a large pan or baking sheet. Roast for 3 to 5 minutes (no longer) or until they are aromatic but not browned. Watch them closely.

Freezing: Because pecan pies are so simple, cooking instructor Carol Ritchie doesn't recommend freezing them to get ahead of the holiday crush. Instead, she suggests making the crust and freezing it in the plate you'll use for the pie. If you can spare more pie plates, make several crusts. Stack them with wax paper in between. When they are frozen, slide them into a zip-top bag large enough to hold them and seal. When you're ready to bake, take out a crust and let it thaw for about 5 minutes, Ms. Ritchie says. Then whisk together the filling and pour it in.

Baking: Watch pecan pies carefully so the edges and top don't burn because of their high sugar content. Ms. Ritchie recommends a pie crust shield, a very thin, lightweight metal band that goes around the edge of the crust to keep it from burning. They are widely available at cookware shops.

Pie plates: Ms. Ritchie likes metal. "Glass [plates] are fine; they do produce a beautiful crust, but for an old-fashioned kind of crispness, the metal plates are great to have," she says.