Maple Pecan Pie

 

1

cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2

teaspoon salt

1/3

cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

1/2

teaspoon maple flavor plus cold water to make 3 tablespoons

2/3

cup sugar

1/3

cup butter or margarine, melted

1

cup real maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup

1/2

teaspoon salt

3

eggs

1

cup pecan halves

1/4

cup semisweet chocolate chips

1

teaspoon shortening

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F.
• 2 In medium bowl, mix flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle in cold maple flavor mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl.
• 3 Gather pastry into a ball; shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. With floured rolling pin, roll 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute.
• 4 In medium bowl, beat sugar, butter, maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the eggs with hand beater until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Cover edge of pastry with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking.
• 5 Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool 15 minutes. In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening over low heat, stirring constantly; drizzle over top of pie. Serve pie warm or cool.