Ingredients
1½cupsall purpose flour,spooned into measuring cup and leveled with a knife
½tspsalt
⅛tspbaking powder
6tbspunsalted butter,very cold, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
3tbspvegetable shortening,(3 pieces) very cold
4tbspwater,very cold
5tbspunsalted butter
⅔cupdark brown sugar,packed
⅔cuplight corn syrup
½cupgolden syrup,such as Lyle’s or King
3largeeggs,at room temperature
2tbspbourbon,optional but highly recommended
1tsppure vanilla extract
½tspsalt
2½cupspecan halves,coarsely chop half of them, and leave the rest whole
unsweetened whipped cream,or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preparation
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the pieces of butter and shortening and pulse until it forms coarse crumbs with lots of pea and chickpea-sized clumps of butter and shortening within.
Add the water and pulse a few times until the mixture is just evenly moistened and very crumbly. It will not come together into a mass. Dump the crumbly dough out onto a work surface and gather it into a ball.
Pat the dough into a 5-inch disc and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days to rest.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Dust your work surface lightly with flour and place the dough on top; sprinkle a little flour over the dough.
Use the hands to quickly work the dough into a smooth disc. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 13-inch circle, turning it frequently and adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick.
Fold the dough into quarters without creasing it and transfer it to a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan. Gently fit the dough into the pan, easing it inwards rather than stretching it outwards. Don’t worry if it tears, just patch it right back up.
Trim the edges to ½-inch beyond the lip of the pie pan, if necessary. Turn the edges under to create a rim on the crust; then press the rim against the lip of the pan, forming it into an even edge.
Using the fingers, crimp the rim. Place the crust in the refrigerator for 30 minutes while heating the oven.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and place it on a baking sheet. Cover the crust with a piece of parchment paper and fill it at least halfway full with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is pale and partially cooked. Remove the parchment and dried beans/pie weights and set it aside while you prepare the filling.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes until the butter smells nutty and is golden brown.
Once it has a nutty aroma, take the pan off the heat and pour the browned butter into a large heat-proof bowl to cool.
To the bowl with the brown butter, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and golden syrup and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt.
Sprinkle the pecans in the baked pie crust and then pour the syrup mixture over them. The nuts will float to the top.
Put the pie on the baking sheet. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until just set and bubbling at the edges. The pie will still wobble just a bit when nudged; that’s okay – it will continue to cook as it cools.
Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely for about 4 hours or overnight.
For the neatest slices, use a serrated knife to gently saw through the pecans.
Serve at room temperature with unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
