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Chocolate Pecan Pie

I was given this recipe a long time ago from a friend who got it from her mother-in-law. It has some notes on it. It was apparently taken from a newspaper, from a book called Around the Southern Table. I have no idea whether this is the actual book? But that is what I found. I changed things up, of course, this time because of stupidity rather than creativity. More on that later...

Chocolate Pecan Pie

1 pie crust (this is the crust I used)
4T butter
7oz bittersweet chocolate, rough chopped
2 eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c dark corn syrup
1/4 c heavy cream
1 t vanilla
2T bourbon (I used Jack Daniels)
1 1/2 c coarsely chopped pecans

Blind bake* the pie crust in a 9" pie pan. Set aside.

In a skillet toast pecans. (Or you can put them on a baking sheet and toast them while blind baking the crust). In a saucepan heat butter and chocolate until melted. Set aside to slightly cool. In a mixer beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and corn syrup until combined. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and bourbon. Add the chocolate mixture. Fold in the pecans. Pour into crust. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven when the center is still a little jiggly.

So what did I do that was stupid - I didn't read the directions all the way through. The original recipe called for 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate and 6 oz of bittersweet. I assumed that the unsweetened was that awful chocolate that they used to sell (and probably still do sell). I decided to use all bittersweet. So I added all the chocolate to the saucepan. Well you were supposed to only add the 1 oz and leave the remainder as chunks. I had a decision to make - add more "chunks" of chocolate or leave it as it was. I decided the latter.

It was a little on the fudgey side and I'm not totally sure that was due to the error of my ways. I think it had to do more with the fact that the weather has been very unseasonably warm. Either way, it was good. So perhaps I should try the recipe the other way and see what happens?! The only other thing that I changed was to toast the pecans. The recipe did not require this and I felt the pecans were not that flavorful, so I've included that in the directions now.

*To blind bake this dough. I rolled it out to about an 11" round. Placed it in a 9" pie pan. Folded the edges crimped them. Covered and chilled the dough for 30 minutes (actually, it was over 30 minutes). Lined the crust with foil and added dried beans. Baked it for 20 minutes at 350 and removed the foil and beans. Placed it back in the oven for 5 minutes, and then set it aside to cool.

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