Maple Pecan Pie

From Chesapeake magazine - for local recipes in Northern Virginia & Maryland around the Chesapeake Bay.

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The crust of this pie, when made with Wade's Mill Unbleached All Purpose FLour and unsalted butter from Trickling Springs Creamery has flecks of nutty bran and a crumbly texture that is a perfect foil for the richness of the maple filling. But it can be temperamental to handle; a purchased pie crust works well too.

Crust:
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t coarse salt
1 t sugar
3/4 C chilled butter
3-4 T ice water

Filling:
3 eggs
3/4 C pure maple syrup
1/2 C Maple sugar
2 T melted butter
1 1/4 C chopped pecans

For the crust:
Stir together flour, salt and sugar, then cut in butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until it forms clumps the size of small peas. Sprinkle ice water over and mix swiftly until the mass comes together in a ball. Divide into two halves. Pat each out into a disk on a large square of plastic wrap. Put one in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Put the other in the freezer for future use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the dough has chilled, place it on a floured board and roll gently to a circumference to fit a 9" pie shell. Keep the surface well floured. When the dough is at the right size, carefully roll it up onto your rolling pin to transfer it to the pie plate. This dough will be prone to breaking, but just squeeze any little holes together with your fingers and patch large holes with pieces of broken dough. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs slightly, then beat in the maple syrup, maple sugar, and melted butter. Add the pecans and stir to incorporate. Pour the filling into the crust, and move it around with a spoon a little to ensure the pecans are evenly distributed. Carefully place the cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the pie puffs up like a dome and does not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Remove from the oven. The puffiness will shrink as the pie cools. Serve slightly warm or chilled.

Serves 8-10.