Crust:
(for 9 inch single pie shell)
1 ¼ cups flour, plus extra for dough and surface
2 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. chilled, unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pats
2 Tbsp. shortening, frozen solid and cut into small pieces
1 large chilled egg white, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 Tbsp.) to make ¼ cup
1 large egg yolk beaten with 1/8 tsp. water
Mix flour, sugar, and salt in processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball, then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13 inch circle and transfer to 9 inch pan. Press dough carefully into pan. Fix the edges decoratively. Chill shell till firm, about an hour. Prick dough all over and line with heavy-duty foil, pressing firmly against shell and extend it over the edges. Prick foil with fork and return to frig while oven is heating.
Adjust oven rack to center of oven and heat to 400 degrees. Bake, pressing any puffing, as needed until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. (The egg yolk helps keep the crust from leaking, so make sure to do it!)
Pie Filling:
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
3 large eggs
¾ cup light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla
2 cups pecans (8 oz.), toasted and halves into small pieces (I toast the pecan halves in the oven at 350* for about 5 minutes)
Oven should be in center position and heated to 275 degrees. Place pie shell in oven, if not already warm.
Melt butter in medium double broiler maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from stove; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
Pour mixture into warm shell; bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours (this is VERY IMPORTANT!). If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in 250 degree oven for about 20 minutes.
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