Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
  • ½ cup Icing Sugar (Confectioner's Sugar)
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt (for crust)
  • 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, very cold, cubed (113 g)
  • 1 Large Egg Yolk
  • 1 – 2 tablespoons Cold Water (as needed)
  • 8 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for browning, 113 g)
  • ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
  • ¾ cup Maple Syrup (Grade A Dark/Very Dark)
  • 3 Large Eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt (for filling)
  • 1 tablespoon Cornflour (Cornstarch)
  • 2 ½ cups Pecan Halves (divided)

Instructions:

  1. Make the Dough: Pulse flour, icing sugar, and salt in a food processor or rub by hand until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the egg yolk and cold water, pulsing until just combined (do not over-mix).
  2. Chill: Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
  3. Press and Fit: Roll the chilled dough or press it evenly into the 9-inch pie dish. Trim the edges and crimp decoratively. Return to the freezer for 15 minutes.
  4. Blind Bake (Crucial): Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line the frozen crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and parchment. Bake the crust for another 10–12 minutes until the base looks dry and just starting to turn golden brown. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 165°C (325°F).
  5. Brown the Butter: Melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in a light-coloured saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams, then subsides, and brown specks form on the bottom and the aroma is nutty (about 4–6 minutes).
  6. Cool: Immediately pour the brown butter (including the specks) into a heatproof bowl. Let it cool for 10 minutes until it is warm, but not hot enough to scramble the eggs.
  7. Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk the brown butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and salt together until smooth.
  8. Stabilize and Add Pecans: Whisk in the cornflour until fully dissolved. Then, stir in 1 ½ cups of the pecan halves.
  9. Fill the Shell: Pour the pecan filling mixture into the pre-baked shortbread crust.
  10. Arrange Topping: Arrange the remaining 1 cup of pecan halves artfully over the top of the filling.
  11. Bake: Bake at 165°C (325°F) for 50–60 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are set and puffy, and the center has only a slight, custardy wobble. If the crust edges darken too quickly, cover them lightly with foil.
  12. Cool Down: Transfer the pie to a wire rack. Cool completely at room temperature for at least 3 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to fully set up.