Down-Home Blackstrap Molasses Pecan Pie

From Redbook, November 2008

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• Pastry

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6  tablespoons  cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 4  tablespoons  ice water

• Filling

• 3⁄4 cup blackstrap molasses (use unsulfured mild molasses for a milder molasses flavor)
• 3⁄4 cup  packed light-brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  light syrup
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 3  large eggs
• 2  cups pecan halves
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped pecans
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
•  sweetened whipped cream (optional) or  vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

1. To make pastry: In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt.
2. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Sprinkle water over mixture and stir with a fork until dough comes together.
4. Press into a 1/2-inch-thick disk; wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll pastry into a 12-inch round, 1/8-inch thick.
7. Fold dough in half and fit into a 9-inch pie pan; press dough against bottom and sides of dish.
8. Fold edge under and flute or crimp decoratively.
9. Refrigerate pie shell.
10. To make filling: Combine molasses, brown sugar, syrup, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 4 minutes.
11. Raise heat to high and boil 1 minute.
12. Remove from heat and cool mixture to room temperature.
13. Stir in eggs until blended, then stir in remaining filling ingredients.
14. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
15. Pour filling into pie shell.
16. Bake 1 hour, or until filling is set.
17. Cool completely on a wire rack.
18. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.