Pecan chocolate chip pie with bourbon sauce

Pecan pie is definitely a favorite here at Casa Bouquet, along with chocolate chess pie. Sometimes it’s nice to just have one pie that combines our favorite flavors and pecan chocolate chip pie is just the thing. This pie is perfect for a Derby Day party or any time of year.

You will need a pastry piecrust in an 8- or 9-inch pan, a small mixing bowl and spoon, a cookie pan, a piecrust shield, and a glass measuring cup for melting the butter and chocolate.

Start with an 8 inch pie shell (I use Pillsbury, from the dairy case. Follow directions carefully, sprinkling both sides with flour.) [I’m not a good piecrust maker. Please feel free to look up some of the excellent recipes that use iced water and leaf lard and make one from scratch!] Drape the crust into the pie pan so that it is hanging past the pan evenly all around. Fold the edges in to the pan and crimp by pushing your left index finger into your right thumb and index finger (or vice versa!).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle.

Spread whole pecans into a single layer on the cookie pan and place in the oven to toast while preheating (about 10 minutes).

Cut the butter into 4 or 6 chunks and place in a glass measuring cup. Put in the microwave and heat 20 seconds at a time until the butter is melted.

Break the eggs into the mixing bowl and beat slightly with a whisk or fork. Add sugar, flour, and melted butter. Beat until blended.

Break the pecans into large chunks. Add pecans, chocolate chips, and vanilla to the bowl and stir. I use Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet chips. This pie is very sweet, so use the darkest chocolate you can.

Pour the filling into the pie shell. Sprinkle sea salt or kosher salt around the surface (I use Alaea Hawaiian sea salt). Place pie shields around crust (you can use strips of aluminum foil.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. The pie should look like a cookie when done.

Mix together the confectioner’s sugar, water, and bourbon. Add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time if necessary to make it pourable. Put in a squeeze bottle to drizzle over each pie slice when serving. (If anyone can’t have bourbon, you can make this sauce with vanilla, or make a cooked sugar-butter-bourbon sauce to cook off the alcohol.)

Recipe for Pecan chocolate chip pie with bourbon sauce

Nutrition facts for pecan chocolate chip pie with bourbon sauce

One whole pie is 4585 calories. The bourbon sauce is 263 calories. Calorie count will depend on exact products you use. Cut into 12 slices for 404 calories each. 

Resource links

• http://www.foodtimeline.org/statefoods.html#kyderby
  • Kentucky Derby menus from the Food Timeline
• http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/05/01/399842082/whats-inside-a-derby-pie-maybe-a-lawsuit-waiting-to-happen
  • The story of Derby pie from NPR
• http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2013/11/how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-crust/
  • How to make the perfect pie crust from Life in Grace
• http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/11/gluten-free-pie-crust-recipe.html
  • Gluten free pastry pie crust from Serious Eats
• http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/sweet-technique-shaping-pie-crust-how-to-make-lattice-topped-pie-woven-crust-slideshow.html#show-174783
  • Classic crimped crust from Serious Eats

Let’s talk story

When I was dating The Gardener, I made a pecan chocolate chip pie and served it to him one evening. He says that’s when he knew… Later we bought a painting of the pie for our dining room and it has overseen our dinners ever since. This pie means so much to me!

I’ll be looking for comments below, or contact me at lisa [at] thecasabouquet[dot]com.

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