Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour (155 g), plus extra for dusting
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, chilled and cubed (115 g)
  • 1 teaspoon Granulated Sugar (5 g)
  • ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (1 g) (for pastry)
  • 3–5 tablespoons Ice Water (45–75 ml)
  • 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled slightly (85 g) (for filling)
  • 1 cup Grade A Dark Maple Syrup (240 ml)
  • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed (110 g)
  • 3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (5 ml)
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt (2 g) (for filling)
  • 1 ½ cups Pecan Halves (170 g), plus extra for decoration

Instructions:

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or food processor.
  2. Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter. Cut it in using a pastry blender or pulse in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  3. Add Water: Drizzle in ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
  4. Chill: Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in cling film, and refrigerate for a minimum of 45 minutes.
  5. Roll and Fit: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to the 9-inch pie dish, trim the edges, and crimp or flute as desired. Place the pie shell back in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  6. Blind Bake: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line the frozen crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, and bake for another 5–7 minutes until lightly golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F).
  7. Toast Pecans (Optional but Recommended): Lightly toast 1 ½ cups of pecans in a dry pan until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Set aside.
  8. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted (and slightly cooled) butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Do not over-whisk.
  9. Load the Crust: Scatter the toasted pecans evenly across the bottom of the warm blind-baked pie shell.
  10. Pour and Bake: Slowly pour the filling mixture over the pecans and into the pie shell, being careful not to overflow the edges.
  11. Initial Bake (Set Edges): Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 25 minutes. If the crust edges are browning too quickly, gently cover them with thin strips of aluminium foil.
  12. Finish Baking: Reduce the temperature to 165°C (330°F) and continue baking for another 30–35 minutes.
  13. Doneness Test: The pie is done when the edges are set and puffy, but the very centre still has a slight, soft wobble (like slightly thick jelly) when gently nudged.
  14. Cool Completely: Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Allow it to cool entirely—at least 3 hours—before slicing. The filling sets fully during the cooling process.