Bourbon Pecan Pie

We always have pecan and pumpkin pie for dessert at Thanksgiving and if anybody wants something different, it's always in addition to pumpkin or pecan pie, but never in replacement. Again, must not start a family riot when it comes to the traditional desserts,


Make crust for a single-crust pie

1-1/4 cups flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
3-5 Tbsp. ice water

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 

1. Process the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and continue to process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula, until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until it does. Form the dough into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

3. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it into a 12-inch circle and fitting it into a pie plate. Trim, fold, and crimp the edges and freeze the unbaked pie crust until firm, about 30 minutes before filling or baking.

Pie

1/2 cup (1 cube) unsalted butter
2 cups pecans + at least 1 cup extra for decorating the top with pecans if you choose to do that
1-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup bourbon or whiskey
1/2 tsp. salt

Egg Wash:

1 egg beaten with a fork

1 Tbsp. cream or milk


1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, bourbon and salt. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

3. Lay pecans on top in a decorative fashion starting in a circle along the rim of the pie pan and work your way toward the middle. 

4.  Brush edges of pie crust with egg wash of 1 egg beaten with a fork + 1 Tbsp. cream or milk. 

5.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with aluminum foil leaving the middle of the pie uncovered.  This prevents the pie crust from getting too dark while baking. 

6. Bake the pie until just set in the middle about 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Pecan pie can be made up to 2 days ahead.