Ingredients (15)
For the crust:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 2 large egg yolks
- About 4 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
- 1 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), melted
- 2 tablespoons Kentucky bourbon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the vanilla whipped cream (optional):
- 1 pint cold heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Christmas is a shortened from the words “Christ’s mass.” It’s derived from the Middle English word "Cristemasse" which has Greek, Hebrew and Latin origins. Christmas is an annual holiday that honors the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated by Christians around the world and is regarded as an important religious and cultural holiday.
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Believe us, regular pecan pie is pretty glorious. But add some melted chocolate, as Chef Charlie Palmer does in this Thanksgiving-ready recipe, and you achieve something closer to transcendence. To brush up on your pastry-making skills, check out this short video tutorial. If you don’t want to make the whipped cream here, serve with pillowy spoonfuls of Easy Whipped Cream. And for additional pie inspiration, check out John Thorne’s Best Ever Pecan Pie and Pecan–Sweet Potato Pie, or our simple Pumpkin Pie recipe.
Instructions
To make the crust:
-
1
Combine flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut butter into flour until mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 5 minutes.
-
2
Mix egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of the ice water until evenly combined. Add to flour mixture a little at a time, stirring in until dough can be formed into a ball. (Add additional ice water if necessary, but do not overwork the dough or it will become tough.) Shape dough into a flat disk, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
-
3
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out dough into a round that is roughly 12 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie plate with dough, trimming excess flush to the edge of the pie plate.
To assemble and bake:
-
1
Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Scatter pecans and chocolate chips evenly over bottom of pie crust. Stir together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, bourbon, and vanilla extract until well blended, then pour into crust.
-
2
Bake until a knife inserted halfway between the center and the edge comes out clean, about 50 to 55 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and place on a rack to cool. Serve pie warm or at room temperature with generous dollops of vanilla whipped cream (optional).
To whip the cream (optional):
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1
Combine heavy cream and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
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2
Whisk until soft peaks form (cream will just hold to the whisk), being careful not to overwhip.