Pecan pie is a holiday classic. Christmas or Thanksgiving meals may not be complete without one. But this is not your average pecan pie. It’s still rich and gooey, but it has chocolate added for good measure. Serve with softly whipped cream or ice cream to cut the richness.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes; 2-1/2 hours chilling
Yield: 10 servings
1/2 Basic Piecrust (The Basic Piecrust recipe makes two crusts; for this recipe, you need only one)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar
1-1/4 cups light corn syrup
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole pecans, toasted
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Spray a 9-inch glass deep-dish pie plate with pan coating.
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Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and fit it into a pie plate, making a high crimped edge. Freeze 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and make the filling.
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Place the piecrust on a parchment-lined baking pan, line the crust with foil and weights, and prebake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and weights and bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and leave the door open for about 3 minutes to quickly reduce the temperature. Reset the oven to 325 degrees.
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To make the filling, melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Whisk in the sugar and corn syrup. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the Kahlua, vanilla extract, salt, and pecans.
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Pour the filling into the crust and bake for about 55 minutes. The filling will be puffed and have a few cracks along the edges, but it should still be a little soft and wiggly in the center. It will firm up tremendously upon cooling.
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Cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving. This pie can be made a day ahead, although it may be best made the day you plan to serve it. Serve with whipped cream.
Per serving: Calories 595 (From fat 315); Total fat 35g (Saturated 11g); Cholesterol 113mg; Sodium 173mg; Carbohydrates 70g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 7g.