Preheat and prepare: Set your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Place your blind-baked pastry shell on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. This tray catches any drips and makes moving the pie in and out of the oven far easier. The pastry should feel firm and pale golden to the touch.

Whisk the sugar and eggs: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until the mixture turns a pale caramel colour and looks slightly thickened — about 30 seconds of vigorous whisking. You should see the sugar beginning to dissolve, leaving no gritty grains against the side of the bowl.

Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the golden syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk gently until everything is combined and the mixture looks glossy and smooth, like runny honey. The butter should be fully incorporated, not floating in oily patches on the surface.

Thicken the filling: Sprinkle the cornflour over the mixture and whisk again until no white streaks remain. The filling will feel slightly heavier in the bowl, and you will notice it clings to the whisk rather than dripping off immediately. This cornflour step is what prevents a runny, soggy pie.

Fold in the pecans: Tip the chopped pecans into the bowl and fold them through with a spatula until every piece is coated in that sticky, sweet mixture. You should hear a soft, wet sound as the nuts tumble through the filling — that is the sound of proper coating.

Assemble the pie: Pour the filling into the prepared pastry shell. If you are using whole pecan halves for decoration, arrange them in concentric circles on top, pressing them gently into the filling so they sit just below the surface. The filling should come almost to the rim of the pastry, but not overflow.

Bake: Place the baking tray with the pie on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, check the pie — the edges should be set and puffed slightly, while the centre will still have a gentle wobble when you nudge the tray. The top should be a deep mahogany brown, and you will smell the toasted pecans filling your kitchen.

Cool completely: Remove the pie from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. You will hear a soft crackling sound as the filling settles. Let it cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature before slicing. The filling will continue to set as it cools, transforming from a jiggly centre into a firm, sliceable texture.