Pecan pie with maple cream

This is, hands down, my favourite American dessert. Making your own pastry is optional, but the recipe here is particularly good.

SERVES 10 12 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr 30 mins chilling and 1 hr cooling COOK 1 hr MORE EFFORT V

150g unsalted butter, softened 80g golden caster sugar

2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten 250g plain lour, plus extra for dusting

For the illing

250g pecans, toasted

3 large eggs

55g golden caster sugar 100g golden syrup

50g unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp bourbon whisky (optional) For the maple cream 300ml double cream

3 tbsp maple syrup 1 To make the pastry, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and flu y, then beat in the egg yolks. Stir in the flour, then use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough. Remove from the bowl, wrap and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 1 hr. 2 Roll the pastry out onto a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift into a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Press the pastry into the base and sides of the tin, allowing any excess to hang over the sides. Put the tin on a baking sheet and chill for 30 mins.

3 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork. Line with baking parchment, tip in some baking beans and bake for 20 mins, then remove the parchment and beans and bake for 10-15 mins more until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before using a small serrated knife to trim away the excess pastry.

4 To make the filling, roughly chop or bash half the pecans and set aside. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl, then add the golden syrup, butter, salt, vanilla extract and bourbon, if using, and continue to whisk until everything is well combined. Add the pecans and mix again to thoroughly combine.

5 Pour the pecan filling into the pastry case and arrange the remaining whole pecans on top. Bake for 20 mins until evenly coloured – it should be lightly golden brown and set with a slight wobble in the middle when you gently shake the tin. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 1 hr. Just before serving, whip the cream and maple syrup together to soft peaks and serve alongside the pie.

PER SERVING (12) 593 kcals • fat 45g • saturates 19g • carbs 38g • sugars 22g • ibre 3g • protein 7g • salt 0.4g