I'll admit that I don't much care for cake. I'm a cookie person. I prefer the crunch of a cookie to the crumb of cake. And I like that cookies don't have to be all that sweet. As a cook I appreciate how forgiving cookies are compared to cake. Cake is chemistry, precise science. Cookies are improv. They reward you for experimentation.
And then there's pie.
I've never really attempted pie because I've always been intimidated by the crust. My cousin Tamara can mix up a bit of dough without really thinking about it. She doesn't even need a bowl. Just tosses some butter, water, sugar and flour around on the counter and voila! A crust for anything you can imagine eating. That's not me.
One morning after sitting like a drone for hours watching the Food Network I decided that my fear of Pie making had to end. I would tackle it one piece at a time. If I could perfect some fillings, I'd give myself permission to use some pre-made pie crust. Heck, if Giada De Laurentiis could then why couldn't I? After all we're not talking some Frankenstein creation from Sandra Lee the Semi Homemade queen, right? (Hey a girl's got to rationalize...)
So here you have it. The results of my early pie experiments. This one inspired by my irrational love of nuts and Giada's recipe for Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups pecans toasted and roughly chopped
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)
4 ounces dark or bitter-sweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
1 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (store bought frozen, defrosted) pie crust
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and the flour. Add the eggs, pecans, two kinds of chocolate, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 1 hour.
Cool the tart for at least 30 minutes before serving. I find that the tart is very gooey on the first day but is nicely set on the second and holds its shape when cut so make ahead and resist temptation for 24 hours if you can!
And then there's pie.
I've never really attempted pie because I've always been intimidated by the crust. My cousin Tamara can mix up a bit of dough without really thinking about it. She doesn't even need a bowl. Just tosses some butter, water, sugar and flour around on the counter and voila! A crust for anything you can imagine eating. That's not me.
One morning after sitting like a drone for hours watching the Food Network I decided that my fear of Pie making had to end. I would tackle it one piece at a time. If I could perfect some fillings, I'd give myself permission to use some pre-made pie crust. Heck, if Giada De Laurentiis could then why couldn't I? After all we're not talking some Frankenstein creation from Sandra Lee the Semi Homemade queen, right? (Hey a girl's got to rationalize...)
So here you have it. The results of my early pie experiments. This one inspired by my irrational love of nuts and Giada's recipe for Chocolate-Hazelnut Tart.
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups pecans toasted and roughly chopped
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup)
4 ounces dark or bitter-sweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
1 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (store bought frozen, defrosted) pie crust
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and the flour. Add the eggs, pecans, two kinds of chocolate, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir well. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 1 hour.
Cool the tart for at least 30 minutes before serving. I find that the tart is very gooey on the first day but is nicely set on the second and holds its shape when cut so make ahead and resist temptation for 24 hours if you can!
2 comments:
Looks yummy!
Must give it a try though I am a "beginner"!
www.limavady2dubai.blogspot.com
limavady to Dubai - thanks for writing! This recipe is perfect for beginners. Couldn't be simpler. And, aside from the chocolate, it's a Thanksgiving classic.
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