Ingredients:

  • 250g (2 cups) All-Purpose Flour
  • 5g (1 teaspoon) Fine Sea Salt (for crust)
  • 225g (1 cup or 2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, cut into small 1 cm cubes and kept frozen
  • 120ml – 180ml (½ – ¾ cup) Ice Water
  • 150g (1 ½ cups) Pecan Halves, lightly toasted
  • 120g (½ cup) Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled (for filling)
  • 240ml (1 cup) Light Corn Syrup (or Golden Syrup/Light Treacle)
  • 200g (1 cup, packed) Dark Brown Sugar
  • 3 large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 10ml (2 teaspoons) Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 15ml (1 tablespoon) Quality Bourbon (optional)
  • 5g (1 teaspoon) Fine Sea Salt (for filling)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Dough: Whisk flour and salt together. Cut in the frozen butter cubes using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  2. Hydrate: Gradually stream in the ice water, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  3. Chill: Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Roll and Fit: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer to the 9-inch pie dish, trim, crimp the edges, and chill for another 15 minutes.
  5. Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line the chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights for blind baking.
  6. Partial Bake: Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and parchment, and bake for another 5 minutes until the base looks dry and slightly set. Lower the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F).
  7. Toast Pecans: Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast lightly in the oven for about 5 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
  8. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, bourbon (if using), and salt until well combined and smooth. Do not over-aerate the mixture.
  9. Assemble: Arrange 1/3 of the toasted pecans evenly across the bottom of the par-baked crust. Pour the liquid filling mixture over the top.
  10. Final Topping: Gently arrange the remaining pecans artistically on the surface of the filling.
  11. Bake: Place the pie in the preheated 175°C (350°F) oven. Immediately place a foil shield or aluminum foil strips around the crimped edges of the crust to prevent burning.
  12. The Set: Bake for 35–45 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are set and puffy, and the centre jiggles slightly like firm jelly when gently nudged. The internal temperature should be around 95°C (200°F).
  13. Cool: Transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally overnight, before slicing. This cooling time is essential for the filling structure.