Pecan Pie...

During my current love affair with the pistachio, I have highly neglected my other favourite nut, the pecan! So what better thing to bake than a dessert based around the pecan itself, the humble Pecan Pie of course! It must have been years and years since I have even eaten any form of pecan pie and my only memory of ever baking it goes right back to childhood and a highly burnt outcome that neither looked nor tasted like anything resembling a pecan pie! Luckily since then my baking skills have somewhat improved!

As well as the pecans themselves, for a pie, you of course need pastry. I have somewhat of a love hate relationship with pastry, in that I love nothing more than eating it, but making it always fills me with slight dread. Perhaps justly for the extra effort and mess involved. But also for the lack of cohesion in my pastry skills. Some days I am a pastry pro and can make a picture perfect pie. Other days I seem to opt for a rather more rustic style, with slightly crumbled uneven edges. However, as pie is the quintessential home baked treat, I feel the slight imperfections only add to its charm, and that is the story I shall be sticking with!

One of my favourite food combinations is maple and pecan. They work together so beautifully and make any dessert irresistible. Pecan Pie as a dessert is so utterly homely and comforting, Deliciously sweet and squidgy and delectably naughty. The scent that will fill your home whilst this is in the oven is just perfection! Enjoy...

Ingredients...

For the Pastry...
300g plain flour
150g salted butter
100g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
For the Pie...
300g Pecan halves
75g salted butter
100g light brown sugar
200g golden syrup
150g maple syrup
1tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten

Method...

Put your flour into a mixing bowl and using the largest holes, grate in the butter and then rub flour and butter together with your fingertips, until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
Rub in the icing sugar and then add the egg yolks. Mix to form the dough, adding a splash of cold water, if the pastry feels too dry.
Bring the dough together in a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for at least an hour.
Roll out the dough, on a floured surface, big enough to line roughly a 9inch loose bottomed tart tin. Prick the base lightly with a fork and pop back into the fridge for 30mins.
Pre heat your oven to 180/160 fan.
Line your pastry case with baking paper and then fill with baking beans, if you don't have any, raw pasta will work just fine. Pop into the oven for 15 mins, carefully remove the baking paper and beans and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until lightly golden.
Now, onto the filling, beat together the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the syrups. Gradually add the beaten eggs and then vanilla, along with a pinch of salt until fully combined. Stir through the pecans and then pour into the tin.
Increase the oven to 200 or 190 fan. Pop the tart on the middle shelf and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160 or 140 fan for 35-40 minutes, until the pie is golden brown with just a slight wobble.
Leave the pie to cool and then chill in the fridge, preferably overnight, to fully firm up.
Serve with ice cream, cream, bourbon, what ever your poison and enjoy...