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

Pie Crust

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

1 whole egg for egg wash, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 

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 4 Tbsp. of the ice water over the mixture and the vanilla.  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 9" pie plate so it extends slightly beyond edge of pie pan.  Trim, fold, and crimp the edges.

4.  Prick with a fork all over the pie crust to allow steam to escape.  Put in the fridge to chill. 

Filling

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. 

9. Brush the edges of the pie shell with egg wash for a golden color.

8.  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. 

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

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

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

12. Bring to room temperature before serving.