Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups (150 g) All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp (5 g) Granulated sugar
  • ½ tsp (2.5 g) Fine sea salt
  • 8 Tbsp (115 g) Unsalted butter, very cold and diced (for crust)
  • 3–5 Tbsp (45–75 ml) Ice water
  • 1 ½ cups (180 g) Pecan halves, raw
  • 6 Tbsp (85 g) Unsalted butter (for filling)
  • ½ cup (100 g) Light brown sugar, packed
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) Dark corn syrup (or Golden Syrup/Dark Treacle)
  • 3 Large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) Vanilla extract, good quality
  • ¼ tsp (1.2 g) Fine sea salt (for filling)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Bourbon or dark rum (optional)
  • ½ cup (60 g) Additional whole pecans, for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Dough: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until pea-sized crumbs form. Gradually add ice water until the dough just comes together. Form a disk, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Roll and Fit: Roll the chilled dough and fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Crimp the edges decoratively. Place the pie plate back in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  3. Blind Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line the pastry with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove weights and paper, prick the base with a fork, and bake for another 5–8 minutes until the base looks dry and set. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
  4. Toast Pecans: Spread the main 1 ½ cups of pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the reduced oven (350°F/175°C) for 6–8 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
  5. Brown the Butter: Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides and brown milk solids collect at the bottom, emitting a distinctly nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a bowl.
  6. Whisk Wet Ingredients: Whisk the browned butter with the corn syrup (or golden syrup), brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and optional bourbon until smooth.
  7. Add Eggs: Lightly whisk the three room-temperature eggs. Slowly stream the eggs into the syrup mixture while continuously whisking until just combined. Do not over-whisk.
  8. Assembly: Fold the 1 ½ cups of toasted pecans into the filling mixture. Pour the filling mixture into the blind-baked pastry shell. Arrange the reserved ½ cup of whole pecans decoratively on top.
  9. Bake and Shield: Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50–60 minutes. If the pastry edges brown too quickly, loosely tent the pie with an aluminium foil ring around the 30-minute mark.
  10. Cool Completely: The pie is done when the edges are set and the very center still has a slight wobble. Remove and place on a wire rack. Crucially, allow the pie to cool completely at room temperature for at least 3–4 hours before slicing.