When I was a kid, it was hard for me to eat pie.
That sounds strange, doesn’t it? But the truth is that at it’s best, pie is quite rich, not to mention the things we top it with. And for some reason as a kid I had problems with very rich foods (and spicy foods) and pie was at the top of that list. In fact, it’s only been in recent years that I’ve come to really enjoy pie and actually crave it sometimes. I still have to be somewhat careful, but I can happily enjoy a piece now and then without trouble…which maybe IS trouble in another way, come to think of it!
All this to say that one reason you haven’t seen much pie other than my mom’s blueberry pie on this blog is that I don’t make it very often for the reasons I just stated. So recently when we were participating in a gathering, I needed to make a dessert. And it just so happened that the friends we were gathering with had given me this wonderful and interesting cookbook. It seemed only right that I should make something from this cookbook to share with them, and that’s how I ended up making this Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.
This recipe is adapted from one in Martha Stewart’s very recent cookbook, Martha’s American Food, which celebrates foods from different regions in the U.S., coast to coast. It’s a great read and filled with fun tidbits of background information on how these dishes came to be. This particular pie is one associated with the South, and it’s a pie I’ve wanted to make for a long time.
I have to say this makes a beautiful and delicious pie, but words can’t really describe how good this is. And making her crust is key. I don’t make a lot of pie crust and quite frankly, it’s usually my least favorite part of a pie, but this one is terrific. Imagine this sweet filling, enhanced by a touch of bourbon and the crunch of beautiful toasty pecans, with a thin layer of rich chocolate on the bottom, all bound together by a buttery and flavorful crust. Uh, huh…I know you want it. Yessireee, good eating. I mean if you’re gonna make and eat a piece of pie with all of those calories, you might as well go for broke. I served this topped with a dollop of locally made Fleur de Sel Vanilla ice cream and that little kick of salt and vanilla really brought forth the nuttiness of the pecans and enhanced all of the flavors. A work of art.
Then, just to see if we could make a great thing any better, we revisited the pie with a dollop of whipped cream, scented with a little bourbon…oh, my!
So far I’m loving this cookbook, though I’m certainly not being paid to say so, nor am I a reviewer. It has a lot of great recipes in it and is just plain fun, especially if you live in the U.S. or love old-fashioned, American regional foods. And because I love it, I’m adding it to my bookshelf on this blog. Check it out!
In the case of this pie, I did find the need to adapt ever so slightly, as sometimes instructions and proportions just aren’t all they seem to be, or should be, in my opinion. All a part of cooking.
Is there anything more inviting than a freshly baked pie? No, perhaps not.
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
(Slightly adapted from Martha’s American Food)
Makes one 9-inch pie which serves 6-8
Crust, makes two and you’ll need one for the pie, freeze the other:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon regular salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/4 cup water, plus 1-2 tablespoons more if needed
In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar just to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly with bits of butter still evident. Drizzle the 1/4 cup of water evenly over the dry mixture and pulse until the dough just begins to come together, it shouldn’t be wet or sticky. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too dry and isn’t coming together. I found that one more tablespoon over the 1/4 cup did the trick. Remove the dough, shape into two equal disks, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled. Can be frozen for a month and thaw before using. (I found that the dough was quite hard after being in the fridge, and I had to bring it back to room temp to roll it out.)
For the Filling and making the pie:
Flour for dusting and rolling out the pie crust and 1 disk of pie crust dough from the above recipe
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons good quality aged bourbon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3/4 cup whole pecan halves
3/4 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon heavy cream and 1 egg yolk for egg wash
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out the dough into an 11-inch round about 1/8″ thick. (If dough is too stiff, let it come back to room temperature and then roll it out.) Wrap the dough around the rolling pin to transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and fit the dough into the pan, pressing into the edges of the pan. Trim the dough to about 1 inch all the way around the pan, fold it under and crimp the edges decoratively, pinching and pressing with your thumb and fingers, or use a fork. Prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. If it’s warm outside and dough is soft, return to the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Crust rolled and draped. Pinch together any cracks before crimping.
Line the pie shell with parchment, pressing into the sides of the pan. Fill the parchment with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes (you may need to cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil if they start to brown). Remove the parchment and pie weights and bake another 5 minutes until the crust is dry but not turning brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
“Blind bake” your crust, cool it and then fill it. Cover your crust edges as needed to keep them from browning too much.
In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, flour, corn syrup, eggs, bourbon and salt. Stir in the chopped pecans and the chocolate. Pour the filling into the crust and decorate the top with the remaining pecan halves. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and the cream and brush over all the exposed edges of the pie. Bake the pie until just set in the center and the crust is golden, about 40 minutes. Tent with foil and/or cover the edges of the crust if browning too quickly. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely before serving. Cut into 6 to 8 wedges. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream…or eat it plain in all it’s glory.
More pie, please!
bits and breadcrumbs 
It cannot be possible that you would not eat these delicious pies now 😀
Cheers
CCU
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You’re right, CCU, and probably even if they did give me a tummy ache, LOL!
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Sounds divine. Wish I could eat all those nuts right now. Again, I promise. Sometime I’ll make you my family recipe for lime pie. Like you, I only do it rarely just because pie eating can easily get out of hand but, oh, what a treat!! Birmanslave (Sallie)
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When you can eat the nuts, I’ll make you the pie…how’s that? 🙂 Glad to hear from you and lime pie sounds great…maybe we could make it together!
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This is a gorgeous pie! Chocolate, bourbon and pecans, that’s a combination I know I’d love! I’ve always loved pies….and really, I’m not sure there has been any dessert I’ve not liked!!
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Hard to beat chocolate, bourbon and pecans for sure! I think I may have a lot of pie eating to catch up on. 🙂 Thanks, Linda!
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Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie?! This sounds absolutely out of this world. Wow. With a cup of coffee on a sleepy winter afternoon…I can’t imagine anything better.
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Thanks so much for your kind comments. This really is a special pie, although how can one go wrong with chocolate, bourbon and pecans? It is a sleepy winter afternoon and I’m wishing the pie wasn’t gone. 🙂
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I was the same.. although I did love the filling, as a child I wasn’t crazy about the crust. Oh, boy, am I ever glad I’m over that phase:D I love the sounds and the luscious look of this pie! The flavors must just be fantastic!xx
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Same here, Smidge…always liked the filling and not the crust, although it was the whole shebang that didn’t agree with me. I, too, am so glad to be over that phase of life….even if my waistline isn’t! 😉
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I also had a bit of an aversion to rich things as a kid but sadly not any more. I love a good pecan pie – yours looks fabulous.
🙂 Mandy
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I know what you mean by sadly, Mandy! 🙂 Thanks for your kind comment and I hope you have a great week!
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What a beautiful looking pie. I think pie is the best dessert ever! And I love pecans in a pie because they add great crunch xx
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Thanks Charlie. I’m coming around to thinking that it really is up there in the dessert category as well. This is a texturally diverse pie in the best sense of the word.
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Great pie sweetie, just the best.
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Thanks, hon! 🙂
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That is one delicious looking slice of pie!
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Thank you kindly, Yummy!
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In KY a facsimilie of this recipe is known as Derby Pie, if you can believe that! 😉 It’s very rich, very delicious and almost too good!
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Yes I’ve heard of Derby Pie and wondered if they were one and the same…maybe only IF you’re in KY! 🙂 You said it best: Rich, delicious and almost too good. That pretty much sums up this pie.
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That pie is a work of art – but I’m afraid I couldn’t just look at it, I’d have to eat it too!
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Yes, I think the art is in the eating of it, really! 🙂 Thanks, Chica!
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I, too, have a similar recipe, Betsy, though I’ve not made it in years. It’s a great combination with a fantastic taste and I’m sure your pie is every bit as good, if not better. I’ve always been a pie lover, with cherry or blueberry topping my list of favorites. And apple … and strawberry … and peach … and pecan … and pumpkin … OK .. I really don’t have a favorite. I love ’em all. 🙂
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Once you see the road to loving pie, seems there’s no turning back! 🙂 Like you, I’m not sure I really have a favorite because I’m growing fond of the fruit pies, cream pies, chess pies…whatever, and more every day. Just the mere mention of all those fruits and berries make me excited about making some pies this spring and summer, too! Meanwhile, apple may be next in line!
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Betsey your crust is beautiful. I always throw a little bourbon into my pecan pies – it just makes the whole thing 1000 times better. Aren’t you glad you like pie now?
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I am…I am so glad I like pie, now! 🙂 Thank you for the kind words about my crust. That’s about the second time I’ve ever made one. And yes, bourbon and pecans were made for each other, in my book at least. The little addition of the chocolate doesn’t hurt either!
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I am not a pie person, but a pie with chocolate and pecan in it and with bourbon also, I would definitely take a wedge, please.
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I hear you, Norma. I can’t say I’ve ever been a pie person…until now. The tide seems to be turning. Not sure that’s a good thing, but I am definitely “cottoning up” as we say, to pie!
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I’m not huge on sweets and rich desserts. I was always certain Betsy that I wouldn’t like pecan pie. I’m just as certain that I would like yours! You, girl, have described it in the language of a true food writer, and yes, I want it! I want it! 🙂 (And that photo, sun glinting off the surface of those toasted pecans….my!) xo
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I have to say, Spree, that pecan pie was one of the first pies that I did like, at least the way my mom made it. I’m still not a fan of super rich desserts, but this one is just right for an indulgence…I think you’d love it! 🙂 Thank you so kindly for your great comments, and I wish I could have gotten a shot of the slice with the sunlight! You know, the curse of the night time shot. 😉
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Wow, this pie looks fabulous !!!!!!
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Thank you so much, I’m glad you like it! 🙂
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Pecan Pie was my husband’s family favourite, but in reality, I think it was only his Mum who loved it’s rich sugary filling. For me, I find this type of pie really too rich and sweet, but I would have one bite, just so you don’t think I’m rude. I may even sneak another when no one is looking.
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I can understand an aversion to the richness and overly sweet sugary texture that a lot of pecan pies have. I won’t lie and say this one isn’t rich or sweet…but it isn’t sugary like some. Its quite smooth and with the crust, almost like a bar cookie…but not….definetely a pie. I’ll cut just a wee small sliver for you, Eva!
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Oh, OK, twist my arm, but may I have another glass of wine with that sliver?
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But of course, my dear! 😉
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This is one of my favorite pies. I was given a recipe from a restaurant that we used to go to often…our favorite waitress surprised me with it. Your crust looks so nice and flaky.
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How nice of that waitress! It is a really good pie, not one I can eat often, but one I enjoy immensely when I do eat it. Thanks for your kind comments, Karen!
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I know what you mean about richness Betsy. To this day I can only eat so much sugary things and sometimes not at all. At least you’re enjoying pie now!!
Of course then you present me with a bourbon pie with chocolate. Oh dear lord!! 🙂
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I know, Jed. That’s why I still only make a pie once, maybe twice a year! 😉 Just too tempting.
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This pie looks divine. Actually sinful. Have always love the filling better than a crust – maybe because my pie crust doesn’t always turn out successfully. 🙂
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Hi Claire! Like you, I prefer the filling over the crust…until I tasted this crust. It’s really good and not so bland and unnecessary as most crusts seem to me. The pie is really sinful..not something I make too often, but something I really do enjoy eating!
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