Triple Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
2½ hours, plus 2 hours chilling and 4 hours cooling
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Pie Shell
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dough and rolling surface2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar ½ teaspoon table salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ -inch pieces2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, frozen, cut into small pieces1 large egg white, chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal ¼ cup1 large egg yolk, beaten with ⅛ teaspoon waterFilling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces¾ cup dark brown sugar ½ teaspoon table salt 2 large eggs ½ cup light corn syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup whole pecans (4 ounces/113 grams), toasted and chopped into small pieces2 ounces (57 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces2 ounces (57 grams) milk chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces2 ounces (57 grams) white chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch piecesBefore You Begin
If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in a 250-degree oven for about twenty minutes.
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
- Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge, (see illustration 1).
- Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim (illustration 2). Prick foil with fork (illustration 3) and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.
- Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees. Place pie shell in oven if not still warm.
- Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
- Pour mixture into warm shell and scatter chocolate pieces over pecan mixture; gently press the chocolate into the filling with the back of a spoon. Bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
for pie crust
for pie
Time
2½ hours, plus 2 hours chilling and 4 hours coolingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Pie Shell
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dough and rolling surface
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ -inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, frozen, cut into small pieces
1 large egg white, chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal ¼ cup
1 large egg yolk, beaten with ⅛ teaspoon water
Filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole pecans (4 ounces/113 grams), toasted and chopped into small pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) milk chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) white chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pie Shell
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dough and rolling surface
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ -inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, frozen, cut into small pieces
1 large egg white, chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal ¼ cup
1 large egg yolk, beaten with ⅛ teaspoon water
Filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole pecans (4 ounces/113 grams), toasted and chopped into small pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) milk chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) white chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Pie Shell
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus extra for dough and rolling surface
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ -inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, frozen, cut into small pieces
1 large egg white, chilled, thoroughly mixed with ice water (about 2 tablespoons) to equal ¼ cup
1 large egg yolk, beaten with ⅛ teaspoon water
Filling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole pecans (4 ounces/113 grams), toasted and chopped into small pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) milk chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
2 ounces (57 grams) white chocolate, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
To create a not-too-sweet pecan pie recipe with a smooth-textured, curdleproof filling and a properly baked bottom crust, we used a combination of dark brown sugar and light corn syrup for a classic praline flavor. To prevent a soggy bottom crust for our pecan pie recipe, we heated the filling and added it to a hot prebaked crust. To prevent curdling, we cooked the pie in a slow oven until almost done, then allowed residual heat to finish the baking.
Before You Begin
If you want warm pie, cool the pie thoroughly, then cut and warm it in a 250-degree oven for about twenty minutes.
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter and shortening over dry ingredients and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds. Turn mixture into medium bowl.
- Sprinkle egg white mixture over flour mixture and, with blade of rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together. Shape dough into ball with hands, then flatten into 4-inch disk. Dust dough lightly with flour, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Roll dough on lightly floured surface into 13-inch circle and transfer to 9-inch pie pan, preferably glass. Press dough into corners and sides of pan, being careful not to stretch dough. Trim edges of dough to make 1/2-inch overhang. Tuck overhanging dough under so that folded edge is flush with rim of pan. Flute edge, (see illustration 1).
- Chill shell until firm, about 1 hour. Prick sides and bottom with fork and line entire shell with heavy-duty aluminum foil, pressing foil firmly against shell and extending it over fluted rim (illustration 2). Prick foil with fork (illustration 3) and return shell to refrigerator while oven is heating.
- Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake, pressing once or twice with mitt-protected hands, if necessary, to flatten any puffing, until crust is firmly set, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until bottom begins to color, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven, brush sides and bottom with egg yolk, and return to oven until yolk glazes over, about 1 minute longer. Remove from oven, and set aside while preparing the filling.
- Lower oven temperature to 275 degrees. Place pie shell in oven if not still warm.
- Melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer. Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed. Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla. Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130 degrees. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.
- Pour mixture into warm shell and scatter chocolate pieces over pecan mixture; gently press the chocolate into the filling with the back of a spoon. Bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin, when gently pressed, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours. Serve pie at room temperature or warm, with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
for pie crust
for pie
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments