Bourbon pecan pie with burnt butter pastry

SERVES 8-10 PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES (+ CHILLING & RESTING TIME)

150g pecans, plus 30 (75g) whole pecans, to decorate

60g butter, chopped

1 cup (160g) brown sugar

¾ cup (180ml) maple syrup

2 tablespoons bourbon

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1⁄3 cup (50g) plain flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

BURNT BUTTER PASTRY

185g butter, diced

2 cups (300g) plain flour

¼ cup (40g) brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 BURNT BUTTER PASTRY Cook the butter in a large saucepan (see tip, page 103) over medium-high heat, swirling pan occasionally, for 5 minutes until dark brown. Tip into a heatproof bowl, making sure you scrape all the caramelised milk solids into the bowl. Refrigerate until butter is set. Then roughly dice. Combine burnt butter, flour, sugar and ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes in a food processor and pulse to fine crumbs. Add egg, egg yolk and 1 tablespoon cold water, pulse until dough just comes together. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest for 1 hour.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick. Ease the pastry into the base and sides of a

23cm metal pie tin (approximately 3cm deep) leaving a 1cm overhang. Prick the base with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Place pie tin on an oven tray and trim excess pastry with a sharp knife. To blind bake, line pastry case with foil or baking paper; fill with pastry weights (or dried beans or rice) and bake for 15 minutes until light golden on the edges. Remove paper and weights and bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden.

3 Meanwhile, spread pecans on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast in the oven for 10 minutes until fragrant and toasted. Set aside. Chop coarsely.

4 For the filling, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling pan occasionally, for 3 minutes until dark brown. Tip into a heatproof bowl, making sure you scrape all the caramelised milk solids into the bowl. Add sugar, syrup and bourbon, whisk to combine, then add eggs and yolks and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, spices, rind, juice, vanilla and 2 teaspoons sea salt flakes; whisk until smooth. Stir in the chopped pecans then pour into pastry case. Arrange the whole pecans on top around the edge in a circle.

5 Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and set. Stand for 10 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature. Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.