Maple Pecan Pie

By Cindy

During the holidays, pecan pie is the perfect dessert after eating your festive meal. Crunchy and sweet, this pie so full of nuts and not sickly sweet.

Ingredients

• PERFECT PIE CRUSTS:
• 1 unbaked Perfect Pie Crust (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup good honey
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups whole pecan halves (9 ounces)
• Makes two (9 to 11 inch) crusts
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening, such as Crisco
• 1/2 cup ice water

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 90mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a 9-inch pie pan with the pie crust. Place it on a sheet pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, butter, eggs, bourbon, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Stir in the pecans and pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the center is just set. Set aside to cool, and serve.

PERFECT PIE CRUST:

Cut the butter in ½-inch dice and return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture. Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening. Pulse 8 to 12 times, until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to form a ball. Dump out onto a floured board and roll into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Roll each piece on a well-floured board into a circle at least 1 inch larger than the pie pan, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough so it doesn’t stick to the board. (You should see bits of butter in the dough.) Fold the dough in half, ease it into the pie pan without stretching at all, and unfold to fit the pan. With a small sharp paring knife, cut the dough 1 inch larger around than the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork.

NOTE: Ina stores the shortening in the refrigerator so it’s always cold. You can store the prepared pie crust in the fridge for up to a day.