Ingredients:

  • 185g (1 ½ cups) All-Purpose Flour
  • 115g (½ cup) Unsalted Butter, chilled and cubed
  • 4 tbsp Ice Water
  • ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt (for crust)
  • 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
  • 250g (approx. 2 ½ cups) Pecan Halves
  • 3 units Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 240ml (1 cup) Dark Corn Syrup or Pure Maple Syrup
  • 100g (½ cup packed) Dark Brown Sugar
  • 60g Butter (for browning)
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt (for filling)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the crust. Whisk together 185g flour, ½ tsp fine sea salt, and 1 tsp sugar. Cut in 115g chilled, cubed butter until you see pea sized crumbs. Note: Cold butter is the key to a flaky, layered texture.
  2. Hydrate the dough. Gradually add 4 tbsp ice water until the dough just holds together. Shape into a disk and chill in the fridge for 60 minutes.
  3. Blind bake the base. Roll out the dough, fit into your 9 inch plate, and par bake with weights at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
  4. Toast the pecans. Place 250g pecan halves in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
  5. Brown the butter. Melt 60g butter in a saucepan until it foams and develops a nutty aroma with brown flecks.
  6. Whisk the filling. In a glass bowl, combine 3 eggs, 240ml syrup, 100g brown sugar, the browned butter, 1 tbsp vanilla paste, and ½ tsp sea salt. Whisk until completely smooth and glossy.
  7. Assemble the pie. Arrange your toasted pecans in the par baked crust. Carefully pour the syrup mixture over the nuts.
  8. The final bake. Lower your oven temperature and bake until the edges are set but the center has a slight jiggle (about 55 minutes total).
  9. Cooling period. Let the pie sit on a wire rack for 3 hours. Note: The filling continues to set as it cools.