Maple Rye Pecan Pie
Here is my recipe for a boozy (+ rye whiskey and bitters) pecan pie for your experimentation. If you like a Manhattan Cocktail, this one may be for you. Try it for Thanksgiving, to take the edge off of family time!
Maple Rye Pecan Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
INGREDIENTS
1 pie shell, prebaked and cooled
1 cup (200 grams) brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup (150 grams) maple syrup
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (50 grams) dark molasses
3 tablespoons (40 grams) rye whiskey
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon Angostura bitters
4 eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup (200 grams) toasted pecans, half chopped/half left whole
FOR THE CRUST:
Make your favorite pie dough recipe (only a bottom crust is needed for this pie, but I usually make the full recipe and freeze a round of dough for a future pie). Rest the dough for at least 1 hour in the fridge; then roll out the dough, press into a 9-inch pie pan, and crimp the dough so you have a decorative edge. Place the pie pan/dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes or until firm – this will help your decorative edge keep it’s shape during baking.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place a round of parchment paper into the pie and fill it with dried beans so that you can “blind” bake your crust (i.e., bake the crust with no filling inside). Bake with the beans for 20 minutes; then remove the parchment/beans and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Bake the crust an additional 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. This can go quickly, so keep an eye on it. Flatten out any air bubbles that form on the bottom during this last phase of baking. Cool completely.
TOASTING THE PECANS:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place 200 grams of whole pecans on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. Cool and then roughly chop half of the pecans.
FOR THE FILLING:
Melt the butter and cool. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Combine the maple syrup, molasses, whiskey, vanilla, and bitters in a small bowl. Add the maple syrup mixture to the sugars/salt and mix until evenly combined (I sometimes use a whisk to break up any chunks of sugar). Whisk in the eggs and then the butter.
BAKING THE PIE:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the chopped pecans in the baked pie shell and then layer the whole pecans on top. Pour the filling over the pecans. I usually flip over any whole pecans that are upside down to make a prettier pie. You can also place the whole pecans on top of the pie filling in concentric circles as shown in the picture above - I usually don't have the patience for that! Bake the pie for about 40 minutes, or until the filling is puffed and appears to be set (jiggles just a bit when you wiggle the pie).
*My other favorite Thanksgiving pie recipe is the Pumpkin Butterscotch Pie from Bon Appetit located here. This link includes a recipe for whiskey-spiked whipped cream to serve with the pie, which I have also used to go with my pecan pie - for the pecan pie, I use rye whiskey in place of Scotch for the whipped cream.
