Ingredients
- 1½ cups plain flour
- 125 g butter, chopped
- 2–3 tablespoons iced water
Filling
- 1½ cups pecans
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 30 g butter, melted and cooled
- ⅓ cup soft brown sugar
- ⅓ cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- pinch salt
Method
1. Place the flour and butter in a food processor. Process for 20 seconds or until mixture is fine and crumbly. Add almost all the water and process briefly until mixture comes together, adding more water if necessary. Turn onto lightly floured surface and press together until smooth.
2. Roll the pastry out to a large rectangle. Line an oblong, fluted flan tin with the pastry, trim the edges and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Pile the trimmings together and re-roll on a sheet of baking paper until about 3 mm thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cut a sheet of greaseproof paper to cover the pastry-lined tin. Spread a layer of dried beans or rice over the paper. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, discard the paper and rice. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until lightly golden; allow to cool completely.
4. To make Filling: Spread pecans over the pastry base. In a large jug, whisk eggs, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla and salt until well combined; pour carefully over the nuts. Cut shapes from leftover pastry and arrange decoratively over filling. Place the tin on an oven tray; bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool; serve at room temperature, with cream, if desired.
