Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Pastry dough for a double-crusted pie (see Note)

4 C. coarsely chopped pecans, toasted and cooled

1 1/2 lbs. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

8 eggs

1 1/2 C. packed light brown sugar

1 1/4 C. light corn syrup

1 1/2 C. heavy cream

3 T. vanilla

1/2 C. bourbon whiskey

Line the bottom a 9 or 10 inch springform pan with parchment.

Roll the pastry dough out to fit the springform pan, all the way up the sides, using any extra dough to reinforce the sides with extra thickness. (If using unbaked commercial pie crusts, place one crust in the bottom of the springform pan. Cut the other crust into strips roughly 3-inch strips. Using moistened fingertips, join the strips to the bottom disk of dough to form the sides of the pastry shell.) Chill thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 350°F. and set oven rack for baking in lower third of oven. Combine pecans with chocolate and pour enough into chilled pastry shell to fill 3/4 of the way. (Depending on the size of your springform pan, you may have some of the pecan-chocolate mixture left over.)

With an electric mixer, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, vanilla and bourbon until well-blended. Strain through a sieve and pour over the chocolate and pecans, stopping about 1/2 inch from the top of the pan (the filling rises a little in baking). With your hands, gently mix nuts and chocolate into egg mixture.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes until lightly browned. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 to 40 minutes until the middle of the pie “souffles” (it will puff up, and no longer look liquid in the center when lightly shaken). Total cooking time should be 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours. Chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Note: Use either your favorite pie crust recipe or 2 unbaked commercial pie crusts from your grocer’s refrigerated section.

Makes 16 servings.