This is a really unique and nutty chocolate coffee dessert. Pecans add that special touch to the pie and chocolate makes it amazingly sweet, a perfect pie that my grandpa made for my birthday and it was so good I asked for the recipe!
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
- 5 tablespoons ice water
- 1 ⅓ cups pecan halves
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup light corn syrup
Preparation.
Step 1.
To Make Crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt and mix well. With two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is in fine crumbs. Gradually add just enough ice water so that the pastry holds together. Form into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Handle as little as possible. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 to 2 hours.
Step 2.
Roll out the crust on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Turn the crust over frequently and lightly re-flour the work surface and rolling pin as necessary. Crust should be rolled into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Fit crust into an ungreased 9 inch pie plate of heat proof glass; form a high-standing rim, trimming excess from edges and pinching or fluting rim decoratively as desired.
Step 3.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 C). Thoroughly prick crust all over with a fork. Chill for at least 10 minutes while the oven heats. Bake in a preheated oven for 5 minutes (crust will not brown). Remove to rack and cool completely before filling.
Step 4.
Leave the oven at 400 degrees F (205 C). Break up pecan pieces and sprinkle them evenly on the bottom of the cooled pie shell.
Step 5.
To Make Filling: In a small bowl beat eggs to combine. Add espresso powder and beat to mix. Let stand at least 10 minutes, beating occasionally to dissolve espresso.
Step 6.
In a medium bowl cream softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in cocoa and salt. Add egg/espresso mixture 1/3 at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth. Stir in corn syrup. This mixture will be like custard and it will be thick.
Step 7.
Pour mixture slowly over pecans in pie shell. If any pecans do not get completely covered by the filling, submerge them until they do. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes; with a toothpick or tip of a sharp knife, pierce any remaining air bubbles (during this standing period, pecans may rise to the top of the pie).
Step 8.
Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat from 400 degrees F (205 C) to 350 degrees F (175 C) and bake 33 to 37 minutes longer (or until edges are cracked and risen but pie center still quivers slightly when pie is shaken gently). Do not over-bake! If the pie begins to brown excessively, cover the top lightly with foil. Remove from the oven; cool on the rack before serving.
