Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter, cubed and very cold
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (for crust)
  • 4–6 tablespoons Iced Water
  • 1 ½ cups Pecan Halves (lightly toasted)
  • 3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¾ cup Light Corn Syrup (or Golden Syrup)
  • ½ cup packed Light Brown Sugar
  • ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Salt (for filling)
  • 1 tablespoon Dark Rum or Bourbon (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Make the Dough: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  2. Hydrate and Chill: Gradually add the iced water, mixing just until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in cling film, and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
  3. Roll and Fit: Roll the chilled dough out to a 12-inch circle. Gently transfer to the 9-inch pie plate, trimming and crimping the edges. Place the lined pie plate back in the fridge.
  4. Blind Bake Setup: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place a baking sheet on the lower rack. Line the chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  5. Partial Bake: Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust base appears matte and dry. Remove and allow to cool slightly, keeping the oven temperature consistent.
  6. Prepare Filling Base: Gently melt the ¼ cup butter and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs until just combined.
  7. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the corn syrup (or Golden Syrup), brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt to the eggs. Whisk gently until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the optional rum or bourbon.
  8. Assemble Pie: Scatter half of the pecan halves evenly across the bottom of the partially baked pie crust. Pour the liquid filling mixture over the pecans. Artfully arrange the remaining pecan halves on top of the filling.
  9. Bake Initial Phase: Carefully place the pie plate onto the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
  10. Final Bake and Shield: Gently wrap the crimped crust edges with a strip of aluminium foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C). Continue baking for 35–40 minutes until the edges are set and the center slightly jiggles.
  11. Cool Completely: Remove the pie from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow the pie to cool completely (2 hours minimum) before slicing. This is crucial for the filling to fully set.