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Course: Sweets
Keyword: Baking, Bourbon Pecan Pie, Desserts, Fall, Holidays, Southern, Thanksgiving

Bourbon Pecan Pie

ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 6 hours
Yield: 8 servings
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Spiced Pecans

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried ground orange peel
  • 1 pound pecan halves
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water

Crust

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3 1/2 ounces pecan halves or pieces
  • 6 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons ice water
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon, chilled

Filling

  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 1/2 ounces sugar
  • 6 fluid ounces golden syrup
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces spiced pecans

Specialized Hardware

  • 10-inch cast-iron skillet
  • Food processor
  • 9 1/2- to 10-inch tart pan
ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 6 hours
Yield: 8 servings

Procedure

Spiced Pecans

  • Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Mix the salt, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, and orange peel together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Place the nuts in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until they just start to brown and smell toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. Once combined, add both sugars and water, stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Transfer the nuts to the prepared sheet pan and separate them with a fork or spatula. Allow the nuts to cool completely.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

  • To make the crust: Chill the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  • Pulse the pecans in a food processor or until finely ground, 6 to 7 pulses. Add the flour and salt, and pulse an additional 4 to 5 times. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the texture looks mealy, 6 to 7 pulses. Remove the lid of the food processor, add the water and bourbon, and pulse until the mixture holds together when squeezed and feels like dough, 5 to 6 more pulses. Transfer the dough to a 1 gallon-sized zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • To assemble and bake the pie: Heat oven to 350ºF.
  • Whisk the eggs, sugar, golden syrup, butter, bourbon, vanilla, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl until combined. Set aside.
  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut along two sides of the zip-top bag, open the bag to expose the dough, and sprinkle both sides very lightly with flour. Cover with the bag and roll out with a rolling pin to an 11-inch circle. Open the bag again, and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Place the dough into a 9 1/2- to 10-inch tart pan that is 2 inches deep. Gently press the dough into the sides of the pan, crimping and trimming the edges as necessary.
  • Chop 6 ounces of the spiced pecans and evenly sprinkle in the crust, then pour the filling on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Place the remaining 2 ounces of whole pecans in a border around the edge of the filling. Bake until the center of the pie reaches 200ºF, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature before serving, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
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