Maple Frangipane Pecan Pie

https://preview.redd.it/unbidk72wa141.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd9a0035838d87d841d5789974ff0af379bf63b9

Ingredients

For the pie crust (makes 2 crusts)

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup ice water

For the frangipane filling

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 2 tsp bourbon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups ground toasted pecans, see note about making them below
• 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 70 or so pecan halves, for topping
• 1/4 cup maple syrup, for brushing

Instructions

To make the pie crust

• Place the cold butter, flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food process and pulse until there are no large chunks of butter. Slowly add the ice water and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Remove the dough from the food processor to a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a flat disk. Wrap each disk in plastic, and place one in the fridge to chill for at least an hour or so. (Freeze the extra crust for later.)
• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge, and roll out on a lightly floured surface until you have a roughly circular shape about 14 inches or so in diameter.
• Lay the rolled out dough into a 10 inch tart pan with a removeable bottom, and gently press the dough into the pan, pinching off any extra that comes up over the sides of the pan. Place in the fridge to chill again while you make the pie filling.

To make the frangipane filling

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Cream the butter and dark brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, or with electric beaters, for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, and continue to mix until combined.
• Mix in the vanilla, bourbon, and salt.
• Add the toasted pecan meal and the flour, and blend until everything is evenly incorporated. If you are using an electric mixer, I like to give everything one last mix by hand with a spoon or a spatula to make sure all the ingredients at the bottom of the bowl have been evenly combined.
• Spread the filling into the chilled tart crust. Top with the pecan halves, and brush the surface of the tart lightly with maple syrup.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, tenting loosely with aluminum foil towards the end of baking if it seems like it is browning too much. I covered mine with foil for the last 10 minutes or so. The tart should be puffed up, a rich brown color, and not wobbly in the middle at all.
• Once out of the oven, allow to cool slightly and then brush again with maple syrup. Serve warm or allow to cool overnight for easier slicing.

bon appetit