Name: Pecan pie
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients: 300g sweet shortcrust pastry; 100g salted butter, softened; 100g light brown muscovado sugar; 3 eggs; 150ml golden syrup; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 300g pecans, 200g chopped and 100g left whole; 1/4 tsp sea salt flakes; vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche, to serve

300g sweet shortcrust pastry
100g salted butter
softened
100g light brown muscovado sugar
3 eggs
150ml golden syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g pecans
200g chopped and 100g left whole
1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche
to serve

Method

step 1
Roll the pastry out to the thickness of a 20p coin and line a 23cm x 4cm deep round tart tin, then trim, leaving a 2cm overhang. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill for 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Line the pastry shell with baking paper and fill with baking beans.
step 2
Bake for 10 minutes then remove the paper and beans and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the shell looks biscuity and there are no raw patches of pastry.
step 3
To make the filling, use electric beaters to whisk together the butter and sugar for a few minutes until a little paler in colour. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the golden syrup, vanilla and chopped pecans. Pour into the pastry case and arrange the whole pecans on top in a single layer. Sprinkle over the sea salt flakes.
step 4
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and cook for another 35 minutes until risen and just set. Cool to just warm and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.