MAPLE WALNUT MACADAMIA PIE

A slightly different take on traditional pecan pie. Golden syrup and maple syrup team up with toasty walnuts and macadamias in a dessert that is rich without being overly sweet. Serve with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.
 
makes one 9” pie
 
For the pie pastry-

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 oz. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
½ teaspoon cider vinegar 
4 tablespoons ice cold water

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and water and set this in the fridge. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture and incorporate using a bench scraper or your fingertips until you have irregularly sized crumbs. Gradually add the cold water and vinegar to the flour/butter, distributing the liquid evenly with your fingertips. If the dough seems a bit dry, you can add an additional teaspoon of cold water. Gather the dough together and shape it into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before rolling out. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll the dough into a circle about 12” in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 9” x 1¼” pie plate, trimming the overhang to 1”. Turn the edges under to create a rim; crimp decoratively. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before blind baking.
 
(To blind bake, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line the chilled pie shell with a piece of aluminum foil or a sheet of parchment paper. Fill with dried beans and place the pie plate on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Carefully remove the foil or parchment and beans, prick the shell with a fork to prevent it from puffing up, and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden and the bottom of the pie shell is no longer raw. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before filling.)
 
For the filling-
 
1 cup walnut halves
½ cup unsalted macadamia nuts
½ cup dark brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup
½ cup maple syrup, Grade B
⅓ cup butter, melted and cooled
½ teaspoon vanilla extract*
¼ teaspoon maple extract*
3 large eggs, room temperature
(* preferably from Jones & Co. https://vanillasoftheworld.com)
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the walnuts and macadamia nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, Golden Syrup, maple syrup, melted/cooled butter, vanilla and maple extracts. Whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time until combined.
 
Place the pre-baked pie shell on a parchment lined baking sheet. Scatter the nuts over the pie shell. Carefully pour the filling over the nuts. Place the pie on the middle rack of a preheated 325 degree oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the edges of the pie are set and the middle jiggles slightly. Place the pie on a rack to cool completely before slicing. (It’s best to use a serrated knife.) Any leftovers should be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days.