I have no talent for baking - probably because I'm not inclinded toward precision in the kitchen. Fortunately, Cherie is! She's a talented baker. And she's made this wonderful Bon Appetit recipe for the classic Southern holiday pie to rave reviews (at least by me). This pie's got bourbon in it - what dessert from the South isn't made better by the inclusion of some bourbon? Lemon peel is the other unique twist on the recipe - do not leave it out.
INGREDIENTS
Crust
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup cake flour
1 tbsp sugar
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
6 tbsp (or more) ice water
Filling
6 large eggs
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/3 cups light corn syrup
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup bourbon (Maker's Mark is a good choice)
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 tsp finely grated lemon peel
4 cups (about 16 ounces) pecan halves, toasted, very coarsely chopped
PREPARATION
For crust:
Blend both flours, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add lemon juice, then 6 tablespoons ice water; process just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Divide dough in half. Gather each half into ball and flatten into disk. Wrap separately in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 13 1/2- to 14-inch round, about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim excess dough, leaving 3/4-inch overhang. Turn overhang under and crimp edge decoratively. Repeat with second dough disk. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
For filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Whisk in both sugars, then next 5 ingredients. Stir in pecans. Divide filling between prepared crusts.
Bake pies until filling is puffed and just set in center (filling may begin to crack), about 55 minutes. Cool pies completely on rack.
Serves 6.
