Pecan Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream

Serves 8

Ingredients

Cooking time: 2 hours

For the Dough

  • 1 cup all-purpose white flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, grated
  • ¼ cup ice water

For the Filling

  • ½ cup darkly roasted pecans, ground
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup dark corn syrup
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 1 cup medium pecan pieces

For the Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup high quality cream
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Special Equipment

  • hand grater
  • 10" pie pan

How-to

Make the Dough

  1. To make the dough, sift the flour and  salt into a mixing bowl.  Using the large holes of a hand grater, grate the butter into the mixing bowl with the flour mixture
  2. Lightly blend the butter and flour mixture with your fingertips until the texture is like coarse grits or cornmeal
  3. Add the ice water and blend well until thoroughly incorporated.  Be careful not to overwork the dough.  Form the dough into a ball and place it on a lightly floured cutting board
  4. Roll out the dough, adding flour as necessary, to ⅛" thickness.  Place a 10" pie pan face-down on the dough and cut the dough to fit the pan, leaving a border of about 1"
  5. Line the pan with the dough, crimp and trim the edges, and refrigerate until ready to use

Make the Filling

  1. In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until frothy, about 1 minute
  2. Add the sugar and whisk for 1 minute
  3. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, and the ground roasted pecans.  Whisk until well blended.  Stir in the pecan pieces mixed with the salt and blend well

Bake the Pecan Pie

  1. Preheat oven to 350º
  2. Pour the filling into the pie shell.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325º and bake until the filling is browned on top and the crust is light golden brown, 30-40 minutes
  3. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving

Make the Whipped Cream

  1. Have a stainless still bowl chilled in the refrigerator
  2. Whisk together cream, sugar & vanilla to stiff peaks