Who can resist the ooey-gooey sweetness of homemade pecan pie? It is, without a doubt, a Southern masterpiece. Most Southerners have their own method of making the pecan filling. Some use corn syrup, and some use brown sugar. I prefer to combine the two, which results in a rich filling with a molasses flavor from the brown sugar smoothed out by the silky, light corn syrup.
CRUST
6 tablespoons butter, softened, plus extra to grease the dish
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
PECAN FILLING
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter an 8-inch square baking dish. For the crust, place the butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, for about 2 minutes. Add the flour and salt, and continue beating just until the mixture comes together. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the baking dish evenly, and bake for 15 minutes, until it is slightly golden. Let the crust cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.
For the filling, in a medium bowl whisk the eggs until they are foamy. Add the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, flour, vanilla, salt, and orange liqueur, and whisk until the mixture is well blended. Pour the filling mixture over the crust, and evenly sprinkle the pecans on top. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
MAKES 16 SERVINGS.