Spiced Maple Pecan Pie with Star Anise

Make the crust

1. In a food processor, briefly pulse together the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture forms lima bean–size pieces, maybe three to five 1-second pulses. Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the mixture is just moist enough to hold together.
2. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it with plastic and flatten it into a disc. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 week before rolling out and baking it. (You can freeze the dough for up to 4 months.)
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust to a 12-inch circle. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold over any excess dough, then crimp as decoratively as you can manage.
4. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
6. Cover the crust with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights (you can use pennies, rice, or dried beans for this; I use pennies). Bake for 20 minutes; remove the foil and weights and bake until pale golden, about 5 minutes more. Cool on a rack until needed.

Make the pecan pie filling

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the maple syrup, sugar, and star anise to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture is very thick, all the sugar has dissolved, and the syrup measures 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 1 hour for the anise to infuse.
2. While the syrup is infusing, toast the nuts. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until they start to smell nutty, about 12 minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool.
3. Remove the star anise from the syrup. Warm the syrup if necessary to make it pourable but not hot (you can pop it in the microwave for a few seconds if you’ve moved it to a measuring cup). In a medium bowl, whisk together the syrup mixture, eggs, melted butter, rum, and salt. Fold in the pecan halves.
4. Place the crust on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and then pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the pecan pie is firm to the touch but jiggles slightly when moved, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving with whipped crème fraîche.