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1
To make the filling, combine corn syrup and sugar in saucepan and stir to mix.
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2
Place over low heat and bring to a boil, without stirring.
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3
Remove from heat, add butter and allow butter to melt.
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4
In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs until liquid and whisk in salt and Bourbon.
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5
Whisk in syrup and butter mixture, being careful not to over mix.
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6
Allow to cool while rolling and forming the bottom crust.
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7
Set a rack at the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
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8
Arrange pecans in crust.
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9
Skim foam from top of filling (or the top will have an unattractively mottled surface) and pour over pecans.
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10
With the back of a fork, press the pecans down into the filling so that they are covered.
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11
Bake the pie for about 45 minutes, until the crust is baked through and the filling is set and well puffed in the center.
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12
Cool the pie on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.
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13
Variations:
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14
CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE: Use the Cocoa flavored Sweet Dough, above, instead of the Spice Crust.
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15
Add 4 ounces coarsely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate to the hot syrup mixture along with the butter.
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Allow chocolate to melt and whisk filling smooth.
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17
Stir the pecans into the filling, rather than pouring it over them.
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18
WALNUT RUM PIE: Replace Bourbon in filling with dark rum; replace pecans with walnut halves and pieces.
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19
Use the plain Sweet Dough, rather than the Spice Crust.
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20
Substitute other nuts, such as hazelnuts or almonds, or a combination of several kinds of nuts.
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21
To mix the dough by hand, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl and stir well to mix.
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22
Cut butter into 1-tablespoon pieces and add to dry ingredients.
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23
Toss once or twice to coat pieces of butter.
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24
Then using your hands or a pastry blender, break the butter into tiny pieces and pinch and squeeze it into the dry ingredients.
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25
Occasionally reach down to the bottom of the bowl and mix all the ingredients evenly together.
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26
Continue rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a coarse-ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible.
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27
Beat the egg(s) in a small bowl and pour over the flour and butter mixture.
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28
Stir in with a fork until the dough begins to hold together, but still appears somewhat dry.
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29
Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it.
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30
Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
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31
To mix the dough in the food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in work bowl fitted with metal blade.
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32
Pulse 3 times at 1-second intervals to mix.
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33
Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces and add to work bowl.
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34
Process, pulsing repeatedly at 1-second intervals, until the mixture is fine and powdery, resembles a coarse-ground cornmeal and no large pieces of butter remain visible, about 15 pulses in all.
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35
Add the egg(s) to the work bowl and pulse ten times or so, until the dough forms a ball.
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36
Scatter a teaspoon of flour on the work surface and scrape the dough out onto it.
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37
Press and knead the dough quickly 3 or 4 times, until it is smooth and uniform.
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38
Press the dough into a disk (two equal disks for the larger amount of dough).
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39
Sandwich the disk(s) of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and press it into a 6-inch circle.
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40
Refrigerate the dough until firm, or until you are ready to use it, at least 1 hour.
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41
Storage: Keep the dough in the refrigerator up to two days, or freeze it double-wrapped in plastic.
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42
Because the dough is thin, it will defrost quickly at room temperature when you intend to use it.
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43
Variations:
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44
SPICE CRUST: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each freshly grated nutmeg and ground cloves to the dry ingredients before mixing in the butter.
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45
Double the quantities for the 2-crust recipe.
