Pie Crust: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process
until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse
meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream,
through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If
necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic
wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.
After the dough has chilled sufficiently,
place on a lightly floured
surface, and roll into a 13 inch (33 cm) circle. (To prevent the
pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep
lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from
the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold
the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm)
pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging
pastry under itself. Use a fork to make a decorative
border or else crimp the
edges using your fingers. Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for
about 30 minutes before pouring in
the filling.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180
degrees C). Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
Make the Pecan Filling:
In a large saucepan, heat the brown sugar, Lyle's Golden Syrup, rum,
and butter until boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and
let cool until lukewarm. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.
When the boiled syrup has cooled, beat in the eggs, salt, and cream.
Remove the chilled
pastry crust from the refrigerator and evenly distribute the chopped
pecans over the bottom of the crust. Then pour the filling
evenly over the nuts. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until
the filling is just set (a toothpick inserted into the center of the
pie will come out clean. (If you find the edges of the pie crust
are over browning during baking, cover with foil.) Remove from
oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room
temperature with whipping cream.
Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.
Note: To toast
pecans - Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes
in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven until lightly browned and
fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
Make the Maple Whipped Cream:
Place the heavy whipping
cream and maple syrup in bowl of your electric mixer. With the
whisk attachment, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
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References:
Barker, Karen. 'Sweet
Stuff'. The University of North Carolina Press. Chapel Hill: 2004.
Thorne, John and Lewis
Thorne, Matt. 'Outlaw Cook'. Farrar Straus Giroux. New York:
1992. |