Vanilla Bean Butterscotch Pie

Place flour, salt, icing sugar and butter into a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles damp sand. Add vanilla and egg and process until pastry just comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface, pat into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll pastry out to 3-4mm thickness and lift over a rolling pin to place in a 23cm (9”) pie dish. If the pastry tears, gently press it back together in the dish. Fold overhang under edge of pie crust and crimp decoratively, then dock in a few places with a fork.

Place dish in freezer for 10 minutes, then line with baking paper and fill with baking beans (or rice) and bake for 15 minutes. Set aside while preparing filling.

Combine butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then carefully pour in the cream. The mixture may rapidly bubble or splatter when cream is added, whisk until smooth then remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes, whisk in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and (optional) scotch whisky.

Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 140°C and continue to bake for 25-30 minutes. The mixture will still just wobble in the middle. Remove from oven and allow to cool, then transfer to fridge to chill completely. Serve with unsweetened vanilla whipped cream and a sprinkle of pecans.