Lone Star Chocolate Pecan Pie

Updated July 10, 2020

This image courtesy of Beth Galton

In my home state of Texas, pecan orchards are plentiful. The long thin paper-shell pecans make some of the best pies. This pecan filling is flavored with chocolate and has a layer of melted tiny chocolate chips on the bottom.

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Dietary ConsiderationHalal, Kosher, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Vegetarian

Taste and TextureChocolatey, Nutty, Rich, Sweet

Type of DishChocolate Dessert, Dessert, Pie

Ingredients

½ recipe Buttery Crust
¾ cup (4½ ounces) mini semisweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted (see Notes)
½ cup finely chopped pecans
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups whole pecan halves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and set out a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Roll, shape, and flute the pie shell, then refrigerate for 15 minutes. Line the chilled shell with the chocolate chips.
Meanwhile, in a medium-size bowl, whisk the eggs and salt just until frothy. Do not overbeat. Whisk in both sugars, the corn syrup, and melted chocolate. Stir in the chopped pecans, butter, and vanilla. Pour into the pie shell.
Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange whole pecans in a 7-inch star pattern on a flat surface, filling in the design completely with pecans. Remove the pie from the oven and transfer the star, one pecan at a time, onto the top of the pie (work fast). Bake 30 minutes more or until the pie is just set in the center. Let pie cool on a rack at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Store in the refrigerator.

Melting Chocolate

Microwave chocolate in its paper wrapper on High for 1 to 2 minutes until it’s glossy and almost melted. Then scrape into a bowl and stir until it is completely melted. Or heat chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until melted. If chocolate gets too hot, or just a drop of water gets into the pan, chocolate can clump up into a grainy mess, called “seizing.” Rescue it by stirring in a teaspoon of butter.

1998 Beth Allen Associates, Inc.