Bourbon Pecan Pie

Bourbon Pecan Pie

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

Crust:

½ tbsp. Unsalted Butter

¼ cup Pecans, finely chopped

1/8 tsp. Kosher Salt

1¼ cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tbsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Table Salt

¼ cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed

¼ cup Shortening, cold and cubed

3-4 tbsp. Buttermilk

Filling:

1 cup Dark Corn Syrup

½ cup Sugar

½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

¼ cup Bourbon

4 large Fresh Eggs

¼ cup Unsalted Butter, melted

2 tsp. Plain White Cornmeal

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ tsp. Table Salt

2 ½ cups Pecan Halves, lightly toasted

Directions:

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling to coat pan.  Add the finely chopped pecans and sauté for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Sprinkle pecan mixture with the kosher salt, remove from skillet and cool completely.  Set aside.  In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and table salt until well combined.  Add the cubed butter and shortening, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Drizzle 3 tbsp. buttermilk over flour mixture and pulse until moist clumps form.  Add up to another tbsp. one tsp. at a time, if needed.  Shape dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour.  While dough is chilling, place corn syrup in a large sauce pan with sugar, brown sugar and bourbon.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.  Cook, whisking, for 2 minutes and then remove from heat.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, cornmeal, vanilla extract and table salt.  Gradually whisk in a little of the hot syrup mixture to egg mixture.  Once tempered, add remaining egg mixture slowly to the syrup mixture, whisking constantly.  Now stir in pecan halves and let cool at least 30 minutes.  While mixture is cooling, unwarp dough and roll out a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface.  Sprinkle the sautéed pecans evenly over the dough.  Place a piece of plastic wrap over dough and pecans.  Lightly roll pecans into the dough.  Remove plastic wrap and fit dough into a lightly sprayed 9-inch pie pan.  Fold edges under and crimp.  Pour cooled filling into crust and place in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until set.  Cool pie completely on a wire rack (at least 3 hours) before slicing and serving.

Note:               Top cut slices with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Note:               Water or apple juice can be substituted for the bourbon.       

Ideas for Future Efforts

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