I don’t know about you, but I take caramel very seriously. Over time, I’ve perfected a recipe that results in a thick, sweet caramel sauce, which perfectly offsets the pecans and flaky crust of this pie. The caramel also intermingles delightfully with melted chocolate and buttery pecans, making for a rich, dense, decadent pie. Serve with a dollop of Whipped Cream (page 193) or a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream
Recipe information
Yield
Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices (level: moderate)
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2
To prepare the pie shell, on a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to 5 days. Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream to create a perfect, golden brown finish. Set the pie shell to the side while you make the filling.
Step 3
To prepare the filling, using an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat the sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, and vanilla together for about 3 minutes, or until a light brown color is achieved. Add 1/2 cup of the caramel sauce (if the caramel sauce has been stored in the refrigerator, warm it up in the microwave for about a minute, or until it softens and is easier to incorporate) and mix again. Add the pecans, again mixing well.
Step 4
Pour the remaining 3/4 cup caramel sauce across the bottom of the pie shell, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel. Pour the pecan mixture on top of the caramel sauce.
Step 5
To bake, place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the pie is firm in the middle, with just a little bit of jiggle. Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool and set for 1 hour before serving. Caramel-Chocolate-Pecan Pie is best served at room temperature. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. When covered tightly with plastic wrap, it can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Light Corn Syrup versus Dark Corn Syrup
Step 6
Light and dark corn syrup differ both in color and taste. Light corn syrup is clear in color, and offers a moderately sweet combination of corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, flavored with vanilla. Medium-brown in color, dark corn syrup has a richer, molasses flavor, based on its combination of refiners’ syrup and caramel flavoring. Throughout this book, the appropriate variety of corn syrup is indicated in the ingredient list.
