Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for pastry)
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter (very cold), cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 3–5 tablespoons Ice Water
  • 1 ½ cups Pecan Halves, lightly toasted
  • 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted
  • ¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup Pure Maple Syrup (Grade A Dark Robust)
  • ¼ cup Light Corn Syrup (optional)
  • 3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for filling)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (or lemon juice)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Dough: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  2. Hydrate and Chill: Slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Form into a flat disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  3. Roll and Fit: Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully fit it into the 9-inch pie dish, trim, and crimp the edges. Prick the bottom lightly with a fork (docking).
  4. Freeze/Chill (Crucial): Freeze the lined pie shell for 15 minutes, or chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  5. Blind Bake: Line the frozen crust with parchment paper and fill completely with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake the empty shell for another 5–8 minutes until lightly golden and dry. Remove and cool slightly.
  6. Toast Pecans: Lightly toast 1 ¼ cups of the pecans until fragrant. Reserve ¼ cup for the top decoration.
  7. Melt Wet Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, and corn syrup (if using). Heat gently until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (5 minutes).
  8. Whisk the Custard Base: Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly stream the slightly cooled maple mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
  9. Finish Filling and Assemble: Stir in the salt, vanilla extract, and vinegar/lemon juice. Sprinkle the toasted pecans (1 ¼ cups) over the base of the blind-baked crust. Pour the liquid filling carefully over the nuts. Arrange the reserved ¼ cup of pecans decoratively on top.
  10. Bake: Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Continue baking for 35–45 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centre has a slight wobble.
  11. Cool Completely: If browning too quickly, tent the pie with foil. Transfer the pie to a wire rack. Allow it to cool and set completely (4-6 hours) at room temperature before slicing.