Brown Butter Pecan Pie

This recipe was originally published in the award-winning cookbook Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom by Anna Olson (Appetite by Random House, 2023). You can purchase Baking Wisdom here

Ingredients:

• 1/2 recipe Classic Pie Dough (recipe follows), chilled
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup (125 mL) maple syrup
• ¼ cup (60 mL) corn syrup
• ¼ cup (60 mL) whipping cream
• 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups (150 g) pecan halves, lightly toasted

Method:

1. Prepare the pastry. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to a circle just under ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Dust the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) glass pie plate with flour and line it with the pastry. Trim, tuck and crimp the edges of the pastry shell and chill for at least an hour. Although the liquid filling suggests this recipe should be made using a partially blind-baked pie shell, an unbaked one works perfectly. The pastry still crisps up, and the filling really holds the pastry in place nicely. For a pecan tart, use a 9-inch (23 cm) round fluted pan with a removable bottom.
2. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
3. Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the bubbling subsides and the butter itself turns a rich nutty colour, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Dark sediment will settle to the bottom of the pan as the brown butter cools. Provided they have not turned black (in which case they may taste bitter), these caramelized milk solids can be stirred into the filling with the butter. If they have turned black, pour the brown butter through a coffee filter or fine strainer to remove them.
4. Make the filling. Whisk the brown sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, whipping cream, lemon juice (or vinegar), vanilla and salt together until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, then add them to the sugar mixture and whisk until blended. Pour in the brown butter and whisk well. Toss in the pecans, stirring to coat them completely, and pour the filling into the pie shell. Not only does the lemon juice balance the sweetness of the filling, it also helps to prevent the sugar from crystallizing so that your filling stays smooth and syrupy. This is also the secret to a syrupy, smooth butter tart filling.
5. Bake the pie on a baking tray for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF (190ºC) and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the pie filling starts to soufflé around the outside edge. The centre will still be jiggly. Cool the pie on a rack to room temperature before serving.
6. The pie should be refrigerated after a day. It will keep, loosely wrapped in plastic, for up to 3 days.

Classic Pie Dough

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) vegetable oil
• 1 cup (225 g) cool unsalted butter, cut into pieces (does not have to be ice cold)
• ¼ cup (60 mL) cool water
• 2 tsp white vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Method:

7. Combine the dry ingredients by stirring the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil. Using a pastry cutter, electric beaters or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend until the flour looks evenly crumbly. Adding a little vegetable oil to the flour before adding the butter is another secret for tender and flaky pie dough. The oil coats the flour so that it won’t overhydrate with the water is added. Too much water develops the protein in the flour, which is why a crust becomes tough or shrinks when it bakes.
8. Add the butter and cut in until the dough is rough and crumbly but small pieces of butter are still visible. I have found that working with cool—but not ice-cold—butter is easiest. Pull your butter from the fridge about 30 minutes before making your dough and it will cut into the flour quickly and more evenly.
9. Add the liquids. Place the water and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl, stir together and then add all at once to the flour mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together. Shape it into two discs, wrap well and chill until firm, at least 1 hour. Turn to p. 44 for how to roll pastry doughs. While butter is ideal, if you prefer to use vegetable shortening, omit the oil and increase the added water to 7 Tbsp (105 mL). This balances the fat-to-water ration, since butter is 80% fat and shortening is 100% fat.
10. If you are not making a pie immediately, refrigerate the dough well wrapped, for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling.