Pear, Pecan and Syrup Pies
These Pear, Pecan & Syrup Pies are the perfect autumnal bake for winter days. Serve with warm custard, cream or crème fraîche.
Ingredients
For the pie crust
- 420 g plain flour sifted
- 50 g caster sugar
- 340 g unsalted butter
- 8-12 tbsp iced water
- 1 large free-range egg whisked, for the egg wash
For the filling
- 450 g pears peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 200 g caster sugar
- 240 ml crème fraîche
- 100 g Lyle's golden syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 160 g pecans roughly chopped
- A little milk for brushing
Instructions
To make the pastry
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F then grease 8-10 non-stick mini pie tins with a generous amount of butter.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then grate the butter over the bowl, stirring so the butter is completely covered in the flour mixture. Rub the mixture between your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs then add the water in small increments, stirring, until 8 tablespoons of the water is added.N.B. You may not need all 12 tablespoons of water. Knead the dough for about 30 seconds to help disperse the moisture, then grab a handful of the mixture and squeeze. If it generally sticks together when you let go, it is fine. If it completely crumbles apart, it needs another tablespoon or two of water. Once the dough holds its shape, pat it into a rough circle, wrap it in clingfilm, and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Save ¼ of the dough for your lattice tops, then cut out 6-8 circles larger than your pie tins so it fills the sides, and place one in each of the mini pie tins, letting the excess dough hang over the edge.Top tip: use a pastry pusher to gently press your pastry into the base of your mini pie tins.
To make the pear, pecan and syrup filling
- To make the pear pecan filling, begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the diced pears and cook them for 10-15 minutes, stirring every now and then until they’re tender and slightly golden. Remove the pan from heat and let the pears cool down to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, creme fraiche, golden syrup and vanilla extract salt until combined and smooth. Set aside for later.
To assemble the pies
- Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375F. Once the pie crust is prepared and the pie pans are ready to be filled, stir the sautéed pears and the whole pecans into the egg mixture.
- Evenly distribute the mixture between the pie tins. Use the remaining dough to lattice the pies, then fold the excess dough overhanging the edges of the pie back over the ends of the lattice, and crimp with a fork to seal the edges. Lightly brush with a little milk.
- Place the pie pans on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is lightly golden on top. Remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Top tip: Loosen the edges of the pies with a sharp knife and invert the pie tin. Your pies should come out nice and easily. Serve with warm custard, cream or ice cream.