BROWN SUGAR PECAN PIE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 12-inch round. Ease dough round into 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Gently press dough against bottom and up side of plate without stretching. Trim dough edge, keeping overhang intact. Transfer overhang to work surface. From overhang, with 3/4-inch decorative cookie cutter, cut 40 shapes, rerolling if necessary, for decorating rim of pie later. Refrigerate pie shell 15 minutes. Refrigerate cut shapes until ready to use. Line pie shell with foil or parchment, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until beginning to set. Remove foil with weights and bake 13 to 15 minutes longer or until golden. Meanwhile, in large bowl, with wire whisk, mix sugar, syrup, whole eggs, butter, bourbon, and salt until well blended. Place hot pie shell in 18- by 12-inch jelly-roll pan. Lightly brush rim of pie shell with egg white. Gently and carefully press cut shapes around rim. Spread pecans in even layer in pie shell, then pour sugar mixture over them. Bake 35 minutes or until filling is golden brown, puffed, and set around edge, but center still jiggles slightly. Cool completely on wire rack.

Steps:

• To make the crust: Chill the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Pulse the pecans 6 to 7 times in a food processor or until finely ground. Add the flour and salt, and pulse an additional 4 to 5 times. Add the butter and pulse 6 to 7 times, until the texture looks mealy. Remove the lid of the food processor, add the water and bourbon, and pulse 5 to 6 times until the mixture holds together when squeezed and feels like dough. Transfer the dough to a gallon-sized zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• To assemble and bake the pie: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar, golden syrup, butter, bourbon, vanilla and salt together until combined. Set aside.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut along two sides of the zip-top bag, open the bag to expose the dough and sprinkle both sides very lightly with flour. Cover with the bag and roll out with a rolling pin to an 11-inch circle. Open the bag again, and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Place the dough into a 9 1/2 to 10-inch tart pan that is 2 inches deep. Gently press the dough into the sides of the pan, crimping and trimming the edges as necessary.
• Evenly sprinkle the 6 ounces of chopped pecans in the crust and pour the filling on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Place the remaining 2 ounces of whole pecans in a border on the edge of the filling. Bake 10 minutes, until the center of the pie should reach 200 degrees F, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a cooling rack to room temperature before serving, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Mix the salt, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon and orange peel together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Place the nuts in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes until they just start to brown and smell toasted. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. Once combined, add both sugars and water, stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer the nuts to the prepared sheet pan and separate them with a fork or spatula. Allow the nuts to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for storage. Can be stored for up to 3 weeks. Yield: 1 pound.