Pecan Pie

Source: New Best Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 Unsalted Butter, Cut Into 1-Inch Pieces
• 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• 3 Large Eggs
• ¾ cups Light Corn Syrup
• 1 Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Pecans, Toasted & Chopped Into Small Pieces

Method

1. Follow directions for prebaked pie shell. Before cooking, preheat oven to 375.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium heatproof bowl set in a skillet of water maintained at just below a simmer.

3. Remove bowl from the skillet; stir in the brown sugar and salt with a wooden spoon until the butter is absorbed.

4. Beat in the eggs, then the corn syrup and vanilla.

5. Return the bowl to the hot water; stir until the mixture is shiny and hot to the touch, about 130°F on an instant-read thermometer.

6. Remove from the heat; stir in the pecans.

7. As soon as the pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 275°F. Pour the pecan mixture into the hot pie shell.

8. Bake on the middle rack until the pie looks set and yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon, 50 - 60 minutes. Transfer the pie to a rack; cool completely, at least 4 hours.

Prebaked Pie Shell

1¼ cups (6¼ oz) flour, plus more for dusting the work surface ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp shortening, chilled 4 tbsp (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼″ pieces 4-5 tbsp ice water.

1. Process flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined. Add the shortening and process until the mixture has texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture; cut the butter into flour until mixture is pale yellow and resembles coarse crumbs, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about ten 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 4 tbsp ice water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix. Press down on the dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tbsp more ice water if dough will not come together. Flatten dough into a 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days before rolling.

3. When dough is malleable, roll out, put in pan, crimp etc. Refrig again until firm, about 40 minutes, then freeze until very cold, about 20 minutes.

4. Remove crust from freezer, press a doubled 12-inch piece of heavy-duty foil inside pie shell, and fold the edges of foil to shield the fluted edge; distribute 2 cups ceramic weights over foil. Bake, leaving foil and weights in place over foil until dough looks dry and is light in color, 25 - 30 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights. For partially baked crust, continue baking until light golden brown, 5-6 minutes; for a fully baked crust, continue baking until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack.

Who am I kidding?! Buy a pre-made roll-out crust from the refrigerated section and get on with it! Life is too short!