Pecan Pie

 Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 Ingredients - for the pastry

• 313g plain flour
• 1 tspn salt
• 6 tbsp (90g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 130g stork magerine or, if you can get it, vegetable shortening, chilled
• 120ml ice cold water

  Ingredients - for the filling

• 250g pecan halves
• 3 large eggs
• 240ml dark corn syrup*
• 100g packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 60g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  Method - for the pastry

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and margerine.
2. Mix in the Kenwood with the K beater on low speed, until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). Alternatively use a pastry cutter.
3. Measure120ml of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 120ml water since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 tbsp 15ml at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every15ml added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 120ml of water and a little more in dry winter months. Do not add any more water than you need.
4. Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Cut dough in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands.
5. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
6. When rolling out the chilled pie dough discs to use in your pie, always use gentle force with your rolling pin. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected!
7. Use beans or rice to part blind bake the pastry.

   Method - for the filling

1. Very roughly chop the pecans– some whole, some lightly chopped is fine. Spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, melted butter, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl until combined. Pour over pecans.
2. Bake the pie for 50-55 minutes at 170-180Cor until the top is lightly browned. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. You can also tent a piece of aluminum foil over the whole pie if it is browning too quickly. Remove finished pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. The pie filling will settle as it cools.
3. Slice and serve pie warm or at room temperature. Top with whipped cream or ice cream.