Pecan Pie

Make pie crust

1. Add flour, sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with a whisk. Transfer flour mixture to a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Add cubed cold butter to the flour mixture, pulse several times until butter is about pea and bean size. Variations in size are okay.
2. Turn the food processor to “on” position and drizzle cold water over the dough mixture through the water hole, as soon as the dough starts to pull together turn the food processor off. You may need to stop the food processor in between and get a spatula to mix up the flour at the bottom.
3. Turn the dough out on the counter or cutting board, and shape into a disk. Wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
4. Take the disk of pie dough out of the fridge and roll into a circle about 2” larger than your pie dish. Use extra flour to keep the dough from sticking to the counter and roller.
5. Carefully place the dough over the pie dish, lightly press the dough into the bottom and side of the pie dish, let the excess dough hang over the side. Trim the excess dough leaving just enough to fold under and create a fluted edge.
6. Cover the pie dish with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated, or freeze (preferred), for 15 - 30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
8. Remove pie crust from the freezer and use a fork to poke steam vents on the bottom of the pie dough and on the sides.
9. Place a large piece of parchment paper over the frozen pie dough, place pie weights on top or pour dry beans on top to fill the whole pie crust. Make sure the parchment is large enough to cover the edges of the crust entirely.
10. Place the pie dish on a large baking sheet. Bake pie crust for 25 minutes with pie weights or beans, then carefully remove the parchment paper along with the pie weights and bake for another 5 minutes.
11. Remove the pie crust from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Make the pie filling

1. Add cooled melted butter, eggs, light corn syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract to a medium mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Whisk together sugar, flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and add it to the liquid mixture, beat again until completely incorporated.
2. Add 2 cups of roughly chopped pecans to the slightly cooled pie crust, reserving about ½ cup of whole pecan halves to create a pattern on top.
3. Pour the filling over the chopped pecans, allowing it to settle and fill all the spaces in between the pecans. Arrange the reserved pecans on the surface in a desired pattern.
4. Place the pie dish on a baking sheet and cover the edge with a pie shield or thin strips of foil. Bake for 60 - 70 minutes until the middle is just slightly jiggly.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.