Pecan Pie Without Corn Syrup

Ingredients:

Cake

• 1 and 1/4 cups premium flour + extra for dusting
• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• A pinch of coarse salt
• 110 g (8 tbsp) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling

• 2 cups pecans
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 tbsp. maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp bourbon (optional)
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

Preparation:

1. Cake:
   
   In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, and salt, pulse until combined, about 8 times. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal with pea-sized pieces of butter, about 10 pulses. Add the egg and pulse 1-2 more times. If the dough is very dry, add up to 1 tablespoon of cold water. Pulse again until the dough begins to stick together and no more flour is visible, 8-10 pulses.
2. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap, form it into a disk, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle and about 0.3 cm (0.15 in) thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (22 cm) pie pan and trim the edges, leaving about a 1-inch (2.5 cm) overhang. Fold the excess dough under to create a thick edge flush with the edge of the pan. If desired, crimp the edges of the dough. Place the pan in the freezer for about 30 minutes to set.
4. Filling:
   
   Meanwhile, position oven racks in the center and lower third of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until toasted, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely. Set aside 15 pecans and finely chop the remaining pecans.
5. Line the pan with parchment or foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Place on a baking sheet and bake on the center rack until the dough is dry and set around the edges, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the parchment and beans. Continue baking until the pie crust is golden brown, another 10-15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
6. While the crust is baking, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, bourbon (if using), and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and, stirring constantly, continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped nuts and vanilla extract. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. If the crust has cooled, return it to the oven for 5 minutes to warm through. Whisk the eggs into the filling until smooth, then pour the filling into the warm crust. Top with whole nuts.
7. Bake on the bottom rack until the filling is set around the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center, 40 to 45 minutes. If the edges of the crust begin to darken too much, cover them loosely with foil. Cool the pie completely on the rack and serve.