The Perfect Pecan Pie. Its FALL!

PERFECT BUTTER PASTRY
2 1/2 cups  King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend, or All Purpose flour
2 tablespoons buttermilk powder, optional
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tbs. sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter or vegetable shortening or a combination
6 to 7 Tbs. ice water

• Combine the flour, buttermilk powder, and salt. 
• Work in the butter in two batches, leaving some pieces as large as your thumbnail. 
• Sprinkle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork and adding water till the dough is completely cohesive. 
• Divide it in half, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes before rolling. 
• Roll the crust about 1/8" thick and about 2" wider than the diameter of your 9" deep-dish (at least 1 ½" deep) pie pan. 
• Place in the pan. Crimp edges

To pre bake the pie shell "blind" or empty, as for this recipe,:

heat oven to 425 degrees F

Prick the shell several times with a fork, put a circle of baking parchment into the pie shell, and fill with dried beans or pie weights, or this pie chain, my personal favorite

Bake for 5 minutes and check that shell is not puffing up too much (in which case gently prick) or browning too much. 

Quickly remove from oven. Carefully remove the parchment and weights, and return the shell to the oven for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown over all.

PERFECT PECAN PIE

Perfect Pecan Pie
Recipe By : Cooks Illustrated Nov/Dec 1995 p8

1 baked pie shell -- 9 inch
6 tablespoons unsalted butter -- 1" pieces
1 cup dark brown sugar -- packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 each eggs -- large
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecans -- 8 ounces

Toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes, cool,  and chop into small pieces. A pizza pan works well for this, as does a toaster oven.

• 1. Adjust oven rack to center position, and heat oven to 275F. Place pie shell in oven if not already warm.
• 2. Melt butter in a double boiler if you have one, or in a medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. 
• 3. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. 
• 4. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. 
• 5. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130F. Remove from heat; 
• 6. Stir in pecans.
• 7.Pour mixture into warm shell; 
• 8. Bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes.

Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.
Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
If you want warm up the cooled pie, warm it in a 250F oven for about twenty minutes.