Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups plain white flour ((all purpose flour))
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp white sugar
• 4 oz / 1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cut into ⅓" cubes)
• 2.5 - 3 tbsp ice cold water
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, enough to decorate top)
• 1 1/4 cup pecans ((for filling))
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted)
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp bourbon ((or rum or marsala, or other liquor of choice, or omit))

Method

1. Pulse the flour, salt and white sugar in a food processor twice, scatter the cold butter cubes over the top and pulse 5 times more, until the largest pieces are pea-sized.
2. With the processor running on low, add 2.5 tablespoons of ice cold water and blitz for 7 to 10 seconds until crumbly clumps form that hold together when pinched, adding another half tablespoon of water only if the crumbs stay dry.
3. Tip the crumbs onto the work surface, bring them together into a ball with your hands, pat the dough into a disc about ½ in thick, wrap it and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F and toast the filling measure of pecans on a baking tray for 3 to 5 minutes, until you can smell them; let them cool, roughly chop them and keep the second measure of pecans whole for the top.
5. Roll the chilled dough out on a floured surface into a 9¾ in circle, lift it into a 9 in pie tin, press it in, trim to a ½ in overhang and fold the edge under, crimping it neatly.
6. Line the crust with two large pieces of baking paper, fill it with pie weights, bake for 20 minutes, then lift the weights out and let the pastry cool for 5 minutes.
7. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, whisk in the brown sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, vanilla extract, salt and bourbon until smooth, and stir the chopped toasted pecans through the filling.
8. Pour the filling into the crust so it sits about ½ in below the top and arrange the whole pecans over the surface in a pattern.
9. Bake the pie for 50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes, until it barely jiggles when shaken but the centre still feels soft, covering it loosely with foil if the crust or nuts brown too fast.
10. Let the pecan pie cool completely, for 2 to 4 hours, so the custard sets before you slice it.

Prep: 30 min · Cook: 60 min · Total: 90 min

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data