Old Fashioned Pecan Pie

I like this pecan pie recipe because it has molasses in it which is a real old fashioned ingredient and I love molasses in recipes, anyway.  I put it in my meatloaf for the drizzle that I top the meatloaf with and in my health pancakes.  This recipe does not use the usual corn syrup but uses more of the old fashioned sweeteners like molasses and maple syrup.  

1 cup maple syrup
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. molasses
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
1 unbaked pie shell chilled in pie plate for 30 minutes

Egg Wash:

1 egg beaten with a fork

1 Tbsp. cream or milk

1.  Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Heat syrup, sugar, cream, and molasses in saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes.

3.  Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Whisk butter and salt into syrup mixture until combined.

4.  Whisk in egg yolks until incorporated.

5.  Scatter pecan in pie shell.

6.  Carefully pour filling over.

7.  For a decorative pie, place pecan halves in a circle over the top of the pie starting at the outer edges and ending in the middle of the pie. 

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

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

10. Place pie in hot oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

11. Bake until filling is set and center jiggles slightly when pie is gently shaken, 45 to 60 minutes.

12. Cool pie on a rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, about 3 hours and up to 3-4 days.

13. Bring to room temperature before serving.