Pecan Pie

Prep Time:    Crust:  10 minutes + resting time + blind baking
Filling:  10 minutes
Baking Time for Pie:   1 hour
Yield:  1  9-inch pie

Ingredients:

Dough for a single crust pie:
190 g (1 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon (4 mL) salt
2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar
115 g (1/2 cup / 1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small chunks
1 large egg, cold
2 teaspoons (10 mL) vinegar
Ice water

Filling Ingredients:
60 g (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 cup (210 g) hard-packed dark brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) golden cane syrup
3 large eggs, at room temperature, slightly beaten
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon (15 mL) apple cider vinegar

1 ½ cups (375 mL) pecan pieces, toasted, cooled, cut in half

Method:

1.  Prepare crust:    With a food processor fitted with a metal blade (or with a pastry blender), mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Gradually incorporate the icy cold butter chunks until the mixture resembles pea-size chunks.
2.  In a measuring cup, crack the cold egg, add the vinegar, and enough ice cold water to make 1/3 cup (85 mL).  Whisk to thoroughly combine.
3.  Gradually add the egg-vinegar mixture to the flour mixture and mix just until it comes together – until it starts to look like bread crumbs. Don’t over-process.
4.  Turn out mixture onto a large piece of wax paper or plastic wrap.   Gently, and minimally, form a ball of dough. Flatten the ball into a disk shape – about 5-6 inches in diameter.   This will assist in rolling out the dough later on.
5.  Wrap dough disk in the wax paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.   Dough can also be frozen for later use.
6.  When you are ready to make Pecan Pie:   Roll out the rested dough, and fit it into a 9 inch pie plate.  Crimp or flute the dough along the circumference. Prick the dough in several places and prepare it for blind baking by lining the crust with a sheet of parchment paper or foil.  Add baking weights.  Let the crust rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes while the oven is pre-heating.

7.  Blind bake the crust for 15 min at 375⁰F (190⁰C).  Take the crust out of the oven and remove the paper and baking weights and continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
8.  Prepare the Filling while the crust is blind baking:    In a large bowl, over a pot of steaming or simmering water, melt butter. Add the dark brown sugar, syrup, and salt.   Whisk, or stir, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup is warm.  Add the beaten eggs, vanilla, and vinegar.
9.  Continue to stir the filling mixture over the hot water until the mixture is very warm (120-130⁰F).
10.  When the pie crust has completed blind baking, place the toasted pecans in the baked crust.
11.  Gently pour in the warm filling.
12.  Bake for 50-60 minutes at 325⁰F (165⁰C), or until the filling has set, but still soft to the touch. Check the pie throughout the baking time – if the crust edges are becoming too dark, cover with foil.
13.  Let the pie cool completely before serving.    Pecan pie can be easily be refrigerated for a few days … and can be conveniently frozen for the regular treatment of the sweet-tooth tantrums!