I’m actually surprised I haven’t shared this recipe earlier – this one is a sure hit and I have used it many a times for Christmas to Thanksgiving dinners (which are interchangeable for me at this point).  This pie is a classic and the crunch of the caramelized pecans with the sweetness of the filling is a combination that can’t be topped.  You may not be a fan of pecans by themselves but this is a game changer – definitely worth a try.

Time:

One hour

Serves:

10

Good for:

• Hearty winter dinners (Thanksgiving/Christmas)
• Outdoor picnics

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp white granulated sugar
• ½  tspn salt
• ½  cup chilled butter (4 ounces, 1 stick), cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp ice water

For the filling:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ tspn vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups of whole pecans

Kitchen things you’ll need:

• 9” by 1” tart pan with a removable bottom
• Food processor
• Whisk
• 9 inch pie bake dish
• Medium bowl
• Small bowl
• Electric Mixer
• Spatula

Making it:

• Combine in a food processor the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend and add the cubed butter and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces of butter.
• Add 1 tbsp ice water and pulse until the dough starts to come together into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and form into a ball with your hands. Flatten into a disc form, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Press the dough into the centre of the tart pan and work it with your fingers and the palm of your hand so that it spreads to the edges and up the sides of the tart pan.
• Put a large piece of aluminium foil into the pan on top of the dough and press it into the dough so that it helps the dough keep its shape in the pan. Then place the pan into the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 205°C (400°F) and after 30 minutes, remove the pan from the freezer and gently remove the foil from the dough.
• Place the pan on top of a sheet of foil (to catch drippings) on top of a baking sheet.  Then Prick the bottom of the tart dough with the tines of a fork in several places and place the tart pan in the oven.
• Bake for 15 -20 minutes, or until the dough is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let sit at room temperature to cool.
• Put the butter, brown sugar, egg, and salt in a large bowl. Stir until well combined. Then gently stir in the pecans. Pour the filling into the pre-baked, cooled tart shell.
• Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the tart on a foil lined pan and bake for about 25 minutes until lightly browned and slightly puffy all over.
• Remove from oven and let cool to touch. Then while the tart is still slightly warm, gently remove the outer ring of the tart pan, leaving the tart on the metal tart pan bottom. Let cool all the way before cutting to serve.

Tips/notes:

• Nothing wrong with pre-made pie shells, and then just do the filling.  Just make sure you freeze them before you put in the filling for 30 min (I love the chocolate and graham shells).
• Serve with whipped cream. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the tart.
• You have to cut through pecans, so make strong, swift cuts.