Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• For the crust
• 180 g plain flour, cold
• 60 g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 30 g lard, cold, cut into small cubes
• 45 ml ice water, added gradually
• 1 pinch fine salt
• For the filling
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 160 ml dark corn syrup
• 100 g dark brown sugar, packed
• 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 30 ml bourbon, optional but recommended
• 300 g pecan halves, whole halves reserved for the surface; any broken pieces may be folded into the batter

Method

1. 1
   Make the crust. Combine the flour and salt. Work the cold butter and lard into the flour with fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse, uneven breadcrumbs — some pieces should remain pea-sized. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough just comes together; it should be shaggy, not smooth. Handle as little as possible. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The dough is ready when it holds together without crumbling and feels cold and firm to the touch.
2. 2
   Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a round approximately 3 mm thick and large enough to line a 23 cm pie dish with overhang. Drape over the dish, press gently into the corners, trim and crimp the edge. Return to the refrigerator while the filling is made. The crust is ready when it holds its shape and the crimped edge stands firm.
3. 3
   Preheat the oven to 175°C. Make the filling. Whisk together the beaten eggs, dark corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, salt, and bourbon if using. Whisk only until the mixture is smooth and fully combined — do not aerate. The filling is ready when it is glossy, uniformly dark, and flows in a slow, dense ribbon from the whisk.
4. 4
   This is where the pie lives or dies. Pour the filling into the unbaked crust. Arrange pecan halves in concentric circles across the entire surface, working from the outside edge inward, until the surface is fully covered and the pattern is visible and deliberate. Transfer to the oven and bake for 50–60 minutes. At the 50-minute mark, open the oven and give the dish a gentle shake: the edges must be fully set and the centre should still carry a distinct, slow jiggle — the motion of set custard, not liquid. Remove at that point. The pie continues to set as it cools; if the centre is firm in the oven, the filling will be dry and rubbery on the plate.
5. 5
   Cool the pie on a wire rack for a minimum of two hours before slicing. The filling is ready when it no longer jiggles at all when the dish is moved and the surface is dark, taut, and slightly domed. The pecans will have risen to form a caramelised, fragrant crust on top.