Pecan pie

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Mix 160 g all-purpose flour with 8 g granulated sugar and 2 g salt, add 110 g cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces and quickly rub it in with your fingertips, then drizzle in 45 g ice water and toss with a fork until the dough comes together. Working quickly with your fingertips keeps the butter from melting from the warmth of your palms. The dough is ready when you can still see small, pea-sized bits of butter and it's just moist enough to squeeze into a ball.

   Mark step 1 as done

2. Step 2

   Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap it tightly and refrigerate for about an hour. Chilled, rested dough rolls out easily, sticks less to the counter and bakes into a crisp, flaky crust. The dough is ready when it's firm but still rolls out without cracking at the edges.

   Suggested time: about 60 minutes.

   Mark step 2 as done

3. Step 3

   Roll the dough into a circle about three millimeters thick, ease it into a 23 cm pie pan, trim the overhang to about two centimeters, then fold the edge under and crimp it into a V pattern with your fingers. A tall, sturdy rim keeps the runny filling from spilling over during baking. The crust is ready when it hugs the pan, the rim is even and there are no tears; keep the pan in the fridge while you work on the next step.

   Mark step 3 as done

4. Step 4

   Line the crust with parchment paper, fill it with pie weights such as dried beans and bake at 190°C for about 15 to 20 minutes, then lift out the paper and weights. Par-baking keeps the bottom from staying raw under the thick layer of filling. The crust is ready when the bottom is dry and matte and the rim is straw-colored.

   Bake at 190°C for about 15 to 20 minutes.

   Mark step 4 as done

5. Step 5

   Spread 180 g pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 175°C for about 6 to 8 minutes, let them cool, then cut about half of them in half. Toasting makes the nuts crunchier and far more buttery and fragrant than raw ones. They're ready when they've darkened slightly and look pale golden inside when you break one open.

   Bake at 175°C for about 6 to 8 minutes.

   Mark step 5 as done

6. Step 6

   Melt 45 g unsalted butter and let it cool a little, then whisk 150 g eggs with 150 g brown sugar, add 300 g corn syrup, the melted butter, 5 g vanilla extract and 2 g salt, and stir just until combined. Don't whisk too hard, or air bubbles will rise and leave a white foamy layer on top of the pie. The filling is ready when it's uniform, glossy and smooth, with an amber-brown color.

   Mark step 6 as done

7. Step 7

   Scatter the pecans into the crust, pour the filling over them, set the pie pan on a baking sheet and bake at 165°C for about 50 to 60 minutes, covering the rim with foil after thirty minutes. A low temperature lets the egg filling set evenly without boiling over or weeping. The pie is done when the edges of the filling have puffed slightly, the center only jiggles gently and a thermometer in the middle reads about 90°C.

   Bake at 165°C for about 50 to 60 minutes.

   Mark step 7 as done

8. Step 8

   Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least three hours before slicing. The pecan filling needs this time to set into a gooey layer that cuts into clean slices. The pie is ready when the pan is completely cool and a knife cuts through the filling without it running onto the plate.

   Suggested time: about 180 minutes.

   Mark step 8 as done