The Bourbon is what makes this pecan pie so special. Of course, so do the chocolate chips! Oh, yeah, the pecans, too.
This is a wonderful pie to make for Christmas. I can still taste it from many years ago when my sister brought her pecan chocolate chip pie to our family Christmas dinner. What a treat! One of our Gramma's made pecan pie every year for fall family meals, but Nancy's bourbon pecan chocolate chip pie took it a couple steps further for Christmas, with all the chocolate chips to make it even more special. Then, somewhere when I was out for lunch with some friends. I happened to try the restaurant's homemade pecan pie. As I ate it, I wondered how pecans and dark chocolate chips would taste combined with a very good bourbon. So, years later I tried my sister's recipe again...and was right. It's delicious! I've showcased it here.
I'm not sure Gram would agree on how well the bourbon flavor combines with the chocolate chips and her signature single crust pecan pie recipe, combining them into one delicious pie. But, what the hey, Gram is gone, so I can't get into any trouble with her now, You see, there's a connection between my sister and I with the Bourbon that I use in the pecan pie - we share the same name with the Bourbon even though we are probably not related - who knows. So, of course, that's the only brand I use in my house. Besides, it's delicious as the mainstay in a Manhattan and Old Fashioned cocktails.
As I've stated before, I am definitely not a very good pie crust creator, so I usually opt for a refrigerated pie crust from the local store. If I want to punish myself I'll try Gram's handmade crust recipe and then cry when it doesn't turn out. So, I pull one crust out of the box and thaw it according to the easy to follow instructions on the box. I roll it out on a little flour on the counter just to make sure it fits my pan pan. Then, roll it up on my rolling pin and unroll it on the pie pan. I like the 9" glass pie pan that I have had for many years. It bakes the crust evenly - I've never had a problem there, nor did Gram when she baked with it. I do like to crimp the edge of the pie crust like Gram used to do. I am not afraid to say that Gram did a much better job of crimping than I do. Even her arthritic fingers dealt with the dough much better than mine.
Prepare the pie plate or pan:
I use my Gram's heavy glass pie plate. (She always called it a pie plate.) It's about 9" in diameter. No need to butter or oil the pan.
Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
Prepare the Pie Crust:
- Make your favorite homemade pie crust or pick up a premade at your local grocery store. Be sure to follow the instructions on the box.
The fun part is the filling, according to my sister:
3 Eggs
1 C Brown sugar, packed
1/2 C Light corn syrup
1/2 C Dark corn syrup
1/4 C Bourbon
2 T Butter, melted
1/2 t Salt
1 1/2 C Pecan halves, divided
3/4 C Chocolate chips 60% cacao bittersweet, use a good brand
How to proceed:
- Beat the eggs
- Add and beat in the brown sugar, syrups, bourbon, salt and butter until blended.
- Stir in 1 cup of pecan halves and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.
- Pour mixture into the crust.
- Top with remaining pecans and chocolate chips.
- Bake at 325F degrees for 50-60 minutes until the crust is golden grown and the filling is puffed. I usually bake it for the lower number of minutes and then check on it through the window on my oven so I don't have to open the door.
- If the crust seems to be browning too fast, take the pie out of the oven, cut a ring of aluminum foil to cover the crust all the way around and lay it on the crust. Put it back in and continue baking.
- When the pie is done, let the pie rest and cool on a rack for about an hour before cutting and serving. The pie filling needs to set, otherwise if you cut it when it's too warm, it'll be a bit runny,
Serving:
- A 9" pie should easily serve 6 large slices or 8 moderate slices.
- I "dare" anyone to serve this delicious pie with any store bought premade so-called whipped cream. No way should you dedicate yourself to making a dessert like this and then denigrate it with a lesser quality topping. You definitely need to get a container of heavy whipping cream, beat it yourself with an electric mixer in an ice cold metal or glass bowl. I even cool the beaters and the bowl before beating the cream by putting them in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Then, add some sugar to sweeten the whipped cream a little just like Gram did. Refrigerate your left over topping separate from the pie in a covered bowl for up to 3 days.
- Place a couple dollops of real whipped cream on top of the pie when you're ready to eat and savor every single bite of your luxurious dessert. Enjoy!
Bake your own Memories!
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