Preheat and prep the oven: Set your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Place your blind-baked pie shell on a heavy baking tray—this catches any drips and helps the bottom crust stay crisp. You'll hear the tray heat up as it sits in the oven.

Whisk the wet base: In a large bowl, whisk the light brown sugar and golden syrup together until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks like thick, dark caramel. Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition. The mixture will become paler and feel slightly thicker against the whisk.

Add the butter and cream: Pour in the melted butter, vanilla extract, and double cream. Whisk until everything is glossy and fully combined. You should see tiny bubbles on the surface, and the mixture will smell rich and buttery.

Fold in the dry ingredients: Sprinkle the plain flour and salt over the wet mixture. Whisk gently until no white streaks remain. The batter will look smooth and feel silky when you lift the whisk.

Add the pecans: Fold in the pecan halves using a spatula. Every nut should be coated in that sticky syrup. The pecans will float slightly—that's exactly what you want for a beautiful top layer.

Fill the shell: Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Arrange a few extra pecan halves on top in a nice pattern if you like. The filling will come almost to the rim but shouldn't overflow.

Bake to perfection: Bake for 40–45 minutes. At the 20-minute mark, check the crust—if it's browning too quickly, loosely cover the edges with foil. The pie is done when the edges are set and the centre jiggles like a firm jelly when you gently shake the tray. You'll smell the toasted nuts and caramelised sugar filling the kitchen.

Cool completely: Place the pie on a wire cooling rack and let it cool for at least 2 hours. This is crucial—the filling sets as it cools. If you cut too early, you'll have a runny mess. The top will be a deep amber colour, and the surface will feel slightly tacky.