Chocolate Pecan Pie

I'm a self proclaimed over planner and the holidays are my Mt. McKinley.  If you're a plan-a-holic like me - you know exactly what I'm talking about.  November and December is when we thrive and shine.  There's so much to plan and schedule and arrange and organize over the holidays - is better than going to Disneyland.  (almost) 😂 

​Take Thanksgiving, for example, I don't feel like I'm adequately prepared to tackle this meal until I've got a detailed menu and itemized grocery list on the front of my frig.  When I say "detailed" I mean extreme detail.  I list beverages that will be served before, during and after the meal.  I list all foods by course and I even specify the kind of butter that I'll be serving.  (Any doubt that I'm a type A personality?)  Every detail of the meal is planned and timed with military precision.  I even draft a schedule for my oven so that everything gets baked, warmed and toasted at precisely the right moment so that it's all served at the proper temperature.  

Any other over-planners out there who scrutinize their Thanksgiving menu as if it were a winning lottery ticket?  The traditional Thanksgiving menu seems like a no brainer and I know that some of you are wondering - what's left to plan?  Turkey, gravy, potatoes, cranberries, pie - done.  (In case you didn't know, I'm kind of expert at taking the simplest tasks and making them exceedingly more difficult.😂)  I contemplate the most trivial things like what kind of bread to serve and what kind of wine would best compliment my salad dressing.  

Of course, I put as much thought into the desserts that I serve at the end of the Thanksgiving meal that I do into the dinner.  I like to stick to traditional pies like pumpkin, apple or pecan and then add some non-traditional desserts like cheesecake, cupcakes or fruit tarts.  This year, I'm throwing a Chocolate Pecan Pie into the mix.  I feel like this pie walks the line between traditional and non-traditional Thanksgiving pies.  Hoping it is received well.  

Chocolate Pecan Pie
Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoon butter, cold
6 Tablespoons ice water

Filling
5 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
3/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons bourbon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Process flour, sugar and salt in food processor for 3 seconds.  

Add butter and process until small pieces form. 

Add ice water and process until no dry flour remains. 

Gather dough into a ball with hands.   

Shape into a 6" disk then roll into a 13" circle on floured countertop.

Place dough into a 9" pie plate. 

Flute edges of crust and prick bottom with a fork.  

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours to 2 days. 

Line crust with foil, fill with pie weights  and bake 45 minutes at 375.  Remove foil and bake 20 minutes longer.  Cool.

Melt butter and chocolate for filling. 

Whisk in corn syrup, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.  

Stir in pecans. 

Pour filling into shell and smooth with spatula. 

Bake at 325 until pie registers 185-190 degrees. (about 1 hour) Let cool 4 hours.

​Whisk together whipped cream ingredients until soft peaks.

Serve whipped cream with pie.  The bourbon vanilla whipped cream is absolutely amazing on this pie so by all means - don't skimp on the cream.  

Pecan pie freezes really well and this pie is no exception.   I've got one of these tucked away in my freezer for Thanksgiving Day and I couldn't be more excited about that.  Now I've just got to keep myself from eating it in the next two weeks.  😬

​Ciao!

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