The Model Bakery Pecan Pie
Makes 8 servings
The Model Bakery make plenty of pecan pies for their restaurant clientele as well as the bakery display case.
This recipe has a touch of bourbon, which seems to bring out the other flavors without tasting boozy.
Anyone who loves pecan pie will tell you to always serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped
cream to balance the pie’s sweetness.
1 recipe Pie Dough
Pie Dough
Makes one 9-in/23-cm piecrust
Every bakery has a proprietary recipe for pie dough. Their recipe includes butter and vegetable
shortening. Since butter tastes so good, why do many recipes use shortening or lard? Unlike
butter, these last two fats contain very little water. Since liquid toughens the gluten in flour, the
less water in the dough ingredients, the flakier the dough. Ours uses butter and shortening for a
light and tender crust, which will improve any pie. For a double crust pie, just double the recipe.
1 1/2 cups/220 g unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
5 Tbsp/75 g unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in/12-mm cubes, chilled
1/4 cup/55 g vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-in/12-mm chunks, chilled
1/4 cup/60 ml ice-cold water, as needed
1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat with
flour. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the pieces are about half
their original size. Add the shortening and toss to coat. Continue cutting in the butter and
shortening until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs with some pea-size pieces of the fats.
Do not overmix. While stirring the mixture with a fork, gradually add enough of the water so
dough begins to clump together. Gather up the dough into a thick disk and wrap in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. If the dough is well chilled and hard, let stand at
room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling out.
Filling
1 cup/200 g packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup/180 ml light corn syrup
4 large eggs
4 Tbsp/55 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 Tbsp bourbon
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup/85 g chocolate chips (optional)
2 cups/230 g coarsely chopped pecans
1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a round about 13 in/33 cm in
diameter and 1/8 in/3 mm thick. You will see flakes of flattened butter and shortening in the
dough—perfect. Fit the dough into a 9-in/23-cm pie pan. Trim the overhanging dough so it only
extends 1/2 in/12 mm beyond the rim; discard the trimmings. Working around the perimeter of
the pan, fold the dough under so the fold is flush with the rim of the pan, and flute the dough.
Freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 400ºF/200ºC/gas 6.
3. Place the pie shell on a large rimmed baking sheet. Line the pie shell with aluminum foil and
fill with pastry weights or dried beans. Bake until the exposed dough looks set and is just
beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven on the baking sheet.
Remove the foil and pastry weights. Continue baking, pressing down the dough with the back of
a fork if it puffs, until barely browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.
4. To make the filling: Whisk the brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, melted butter, bourbon, and
vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using. Pour into the
pie shell. Sprinkle the pecans over the syrup mixture.
5. Return the pie, on the baking sheet, to the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to
350ºF/180ºC/gas 4. Bake until the pie filling is puffed all over, about 50 minutes. Transfer the
pie to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve.