Caramel Sauce:
6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
¾ cups whipping cream
Pinch of salt
½ tsp. vanilla
Crust:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
½ gallon butter pecan ice cream, softened slightly (avoid Dreyer’s brand)
36-40 pecan halves, toasted
Sauce:
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar, cream and salt and whisk until sauce is smooth and comes to simmer. Remove from heat; mix in vanilla. Cool sauce completely, stirring occasionally.
Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom of 9 inch spring-form pan. Using mixer, beat brown sugar, butter and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Add flour and 2/3 cup chopped pecans and stir until moist clumps form. Press dough onto bottom and ½ inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool crust completely.
Spoon ice cream into crust, pressing to compact. Pour ½ cup sauce over. Using tip of knife, swirl sauce and top layer of ice cream to make a pretty marbled design. Cover pie (not directly onto pie!) and freeze 12 hours. Sauce and pie can be made ahead 3 days. Cover sauce and store in the fridge.
Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen pie. Release pan sides. Arrange toasted pecan halves around top edge of pie. Let pie stand 5 minutes to soften slightly before attempting to slice. Rewarm remaining sauce. Cut pie into wedges and serve with sauce. 8 to 12 servings We made this for one of Nana’s birthdays!
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