Pecan Pie

Preparation

Step 1: Pre-bake the pastry

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into a buttered 24 cm pie dish. Prick the base with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Line with parchment paper and baking beans, then blind bake for 15 minutes.

Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes until the base is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

Step 2: Toast the pecans

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes at 180°C — they should turn lightly golden and smell nutty. Watch closely as they burn very quickly. Let them cool slightly, then chop them coarsely, keeping a few beautiful whole ones for decoration.

This toasting step is essential: it removes the raw bitterness from the nuts and brings out their natural buttery, sweet notes.

Step 3: Prepare the caramel-pecan filling

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat with the brown sugar and maple syrup, stirring until fully dissolved. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring, then remove from heat.

In a bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Slowly pour the hot caramel over the eggs while whisking vigorously — this prevents the eggs from cooking too quickly. Fold in the chopped pecans.

Step 4: Bake the pie

Pour the filling onto the pre-baked crust. Spread evenly with a spatula, making sure the pecans are well distributed. Arrange the reserved whole pecans in a circle on top for an elegant finish.

Bake at 170°C for 30 to 35 minutes. The filling should be set at the edges and still slightly jiggly in the center when removed from the oven — it will continue to firm up as it cools. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover with foil.

Step 5: Cool and unmold

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack, at least 2 hours at room temperature. Cooling is essential: the caramel filling needs to stabilize for clean slices.

Then refrigerate for 1 hour for the perfect texture. Gently unmold onto a serving plate.

Step 6: Serve

Serve the pecan pie at room temperature or slightly warm, cut into generous slices with a sharp knife. Accompany each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cloud of homemade whipped cream.

This pie keeps for 3 to 4 days covered in the refrigerator. Take it out 20 minutes before serving to restore its full softness and caramelized flavors.