Name: Pecan Pie
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 325 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American (Southern)
Ingredients: 160 g plain flour (type 405); 0.25 tsp salt; 2 tsp sugar; 115 g cold butter (cut into 1 cm cubes); 3 tbsp ice water (2.5 to 3 tbsp, depending on the dough); 250 g pecan halves (half toasted and chopped, half whole for the top); 3 eggs; 200 g brown sugar; 60 g butter (melted); 185 ml light corn syrup (about 250 g; golden syrup can be used instead); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 0.25 tsp salt; 3 tbsp bourbon (optional, or rum)

Preparation

Briefly mix the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor, add the cold butter and pulse until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Add the ice water and pulse briefly until crumbs form that hold together when pressed.
Shape the dough into a ball by hand, press it into a disc about 1.5 cm thick, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (conventional). Toast half the pecans on a baking tray for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant, then chop roughly. The remaining nuts stay untoasted and whole.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a circle about 25 cm across, lay it in a 22 cm pie dish, press it in, trim the edge to a 1 cm overhang, fold it under and crimp as you like.
Line the base with baking paper and pulses or baking beans and blind-bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and leave the base to cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and bourbon and stir until smooth, then fold in the chopped nuts.
Pour the filling into the base, top with the whole pecans and bake for 50 minutes (check from minute 40) until the filling is set at the edge and wobbles only slightly in the centre. If the edge gets too dark, cover it with foil.
Leave the pie to cool completely so the filling can set; this takes 2 to 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Drink with it

Mellow whisky · excellent match
Bourbon, neat or with an ice cube
Bourbon is often already in the filling: vanilla and toffee from the new oak barrel meet brown sugar, butter and toasted pecan.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes
Fortified wine · excellent match
Tawny port (10 year) or Malmsey Madeira, lightly chilled
Nut and caramel notes mirror the filling, and the sweetness keeps pace with the pie; with the Madeira, the acidity keeps each sip fresh.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage
Aged rum · excellent match
Aged rum, neat or with an ice cube
The caramel, vanilla and oak of a barrel-aged rum match the filling almost one to one.
Drinking rum neat: how to get to know a bottling
Cognac and brandy · good match
VSOP cognac, neat, at room temperature
The oak, toffee and nut notes of the cognac mirror the toasted pecan, and the dry alcohol carries the sweetness of the filling.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy

Preparation

Briefly mix the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor, add the cold butter and pulse until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Add the ice water and pulse briefly until crumbs form that hold together when pressed.
Shape the dough into a ball by hand, press it into a disc about 1.5 cm thick, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (conventional). Toast half the pecans on a baking tray for 3 to 5 minutes until fragrant, then chop roughly. The remaining nuts stay untoasted and whole.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface into a circle about 25 cm across, lay it in a 22 cm pie dish, press it in, trim the edge to a 1 cm overhang, fold it under and crimp as you like.
Line the base with baking paper and pulses or baking beans and blind-bake for 20 minutes. Remove the weights and leave the base to cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugar, melted butter, corn syrup, vanilla, salt and bourbon and stir until smooth, then fold in the chopped nuts.
Pour the filling into the base, top with the whole pecans and bake for 50 minutes (check from minute 40) until the filling is set at the edge and wobbles only slightly in the centre. If the edge gets too dark, cover it with foil.
Leave the pie to cool completely so the filling can set; this takes 2 to 4 hours. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Drink with it

Mellow whisky · excellent match
Bourbon, neat or with an ice cube
Bourbon is often already in the filling: vanilla and toffee from the new oak barrel meet brown sugar, butter and toasted pecan.
Whisky with food: cheese, chocolate, and savory dishes
Fortified wine · excellent match
Tawny port (10 year) or Malmsey Madeira, lightly chilled
Nut and caramel notes mirror the filling, and the sweetness keeps pace with the pie; with the Madeira, the acidity keeps each sip fresh.
Port wine: understanding Ruby, Tawny, and Vintage
Aged rum · excellent match
Aged rum, neat or with an ice cube
The caramel, vanilla and oak of a barrel-aged rum match the filling almost one to one.
Drinking rum neat: how to get to know a bottling
Cognac and brandy · good match
VSOP cognac, neat, at room temperature
The oak, toffee and nut notes of the cognac mirror the toasted pecan, and the dry alcohol carries the sweetness of the filling.
Cognac and Armagnac: Two Origins for Brandy

Pecan Pie

Preparation

Drink with it

Bourbon, neat or with an ice cube

Tawny port (10 year) or Malmsey Madeira, lightly chilled

Aged rum, neat or with an ice cube

VSOP cognac, neat, at room temperature

This pairs well too.

Moist Banana Bread

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Baked Apple in a Nut Coating (Bratapfel)

Chocolate Brownies

Pecan Pie

Preparation

Drink with it

Bourbon, neat or with an ice cube

Tawny port (10 year) or Malmsey Madeira, lightly chilled

Aged rum, neat or with an ice cube

VSOP cognac, neat, at room temperature

This pairs well too.

Moist Banana Bread

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Baked Apple in a Nut Coating (Bratapfel)

Chocolate Brownies