Ingredients
Crust for single crust pie
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
7 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small cubes
1/4 c shortening (Crisco) chilled
1/3 c graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c ice water
Place flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in food processor. Mix together. Mix in butter using 5-6 pulses. Mix in shortening using 5-6 pulses. Empty dough into mixing bowl. Using a fork, slowly add the ice water until dough is evenly moistened. Use spatula to press dough together. Remove dough, form into a 6 inch disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.
FILLING:
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 cup light Karo corn syrup
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3 tbsp finely chopped candied orange peel
4 tbsp bourbon
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups toasted pecan halves, roughly chopped into small pieces
Cream cheese topping:
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla 3 tsp orange gelatin, dissolved thoroughly in 1 tbsp hot water. Place in freezer until just starting to gel
1/4 tsp orange extract
fresh grated orange peel (about 1 tbsp)
orange gelatin candy slices (2), finely diced
Directions
CRUST:
Spread 1/2 of the graham cracker crumbs onto rolling surface. Place dough on top, sprinkle top dough with remaing crumbs as the dough is rolled out to 12 inch disc. Flip the dough while rolling to make sure both surfaces are well coated with graham crumbs. Place on 9 inch glass pie plate. Fold over the edge, crimp. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in freezer for about 20 minutes while oven is preheating. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Unwrap pie plate, place aluminum foil on top, making sure entire crust is covered (using a circle of foil works best). Place pie weights on top of the foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil and bake for another 3-4 minutes until crust is only very lightly browned. Remove from oven. Cool slightly. Reset oven temperature to 275 degrees.
Filling:
Over double boiler, place butter in large metal bowl. Melt thoroughly and remove from heat. Add the sugar and mix well. Add Karo syrup, mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each egg. Add bourbon, vanilla and salt. Return bowl to double boiler and heat filling, stirring, until temperature of filling is 130 degrees. Remove from heat. Add candied orange peel, grated orange peel, and mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into parbaked pie shell. Bake at 275 degrees for about 40 minutes or just until the center of pie jiggles slightly when moved. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Cream cheese topping:
Combine softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla and orange gelatin and orange extract. Blend until smooth. In separate bowl, whip chilled heavy cream to medium peak. Add cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and continue whipping until all ingredients are well blended. Using piping bag fitted with star tip, generously pipe the cream cheese around the edges of the cool pie (there will be some leftover topping). Leave inner circle plain. Sprinkle fresh grated orange peel lightly on top of cream cheese along with diced orange candy gel slices. Serve.