Both pecans and chocolate are originally native to the Americas, making this dessert a quintessentially American treat. Chocolate was enjoyed as a warm drink in the Aztec world as early as the 15th century. Pecans, similarly, were used in a beverage by Native Americas–in this case, an alcoholic one called powcohicora. Taken back to Europe by Spanish colonists, both chocolate and pecans became popular ingredients around which desserts were often based. The pecan pie was developed more recently, by French settlers in New Orleans, with renewed influences from Native American cookery. Beginning in the 1920s, pecan pies were aggressively marketed by corn syrup producers, and have gained a position as a traditional holiday and Thanksgiving dessert.
Recipe Servings: 8
+ 30 minutes resting
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Cut in the shortening, using a pastry cutter or crisscrossing knives, until the particles are the size of small peas.
- Sprinkle the mixture with cold water, working 1 tablespoon at a time, and tossing with a fork until moistened. The pastry should almost be pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- Gather the dough into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, shape the pastry into a flattened round. Roll out to a round about 2 inches larger than your pie plate.
- Press the dough against the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Trim the overhang 1 inch from the rim of the pie plate. Fold and roll the edge under and flute as desired.
- Beat together the sugar, butter, corn syrup, bourbon (optional), salt, and eggs in a large bowl.
- Stir in the pecans and chocolate chips, mixing to thoroughly combine.
- Pour the mixture into the pastry-lined pie plate.
- Cover the edge of the pie crust with a 2–3-inch strip of foil and bake for 40–50 minutes, removing the foil during the final 15 minutes.
- Let cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving.
For Crust:
For Filling:
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