Burbon Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS

CRUST:

• 8 tablespoons butter, chilled

• 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 5 tablespoons water, chilled with ice

• Optional: Substitute 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar for 1 tablespoon water

PECAN PIE FILLING:

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup light corn syrup

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

For the crust:

Make sure your butter and shortening are cold and chilled and cut into small pieces. Place flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds. Add butter and process until the mixture comes together and looks like a coarse meal or until pieces are about the size of small peas. Add chilled water (or water and vinegar) and mix for about 10 seconds, until the dough just comes together.

While this recipe calls for a food processor, you can do this by hand using a fork to squish the butter into the flour mixture. 

Remove dough and knead lightly on a lightly floured surface until it just comes together. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour. 

Roll the dough out on a floured surface to a diameter of about 12 inches. Transfer the dough circle into a 9-inch glass pie plate and crimp edges. Place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes while you make the filling.

While the pie crust chills, toast your pecans and preheat the oven to 350°F. 

To toast pecans:

Place pecans in a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Toast for about 4 minutes until the pecans are lightly toasted. 

For the filling:

Lightly whisk eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Using a spoon, mix in corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, and bourbon and mix until well combined. Stir in pecans. Remove pie dish from the freezer and pour filling into the prepared pie crust.

Bake until the filling has started to rise and the center no longer jiggles about 30 to 40 minutes. Do not over bake — the center should not be completely set but will continue to set once you remove it from the oven. Cool for at least 1 hour and serve with sweetened whipped cream.