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Rich and gooey dark chocolate pecan pie made with honey not corn syrup, on a homemade flaky pie crust

Chocolate Pecan Pie with Honey

Rich and gooey dark chocolate pecan pie made with honey not corn syrup, on a homemade flaky pie crust
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Makes: 8 large slices
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Ingredients
  

For the pie crust

  • 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180 gms)
  • 1/4 tsp salt, skip if using salted butter
  • 2 tbsps caster sugar
  • 115 gms unsalted butter, cold and cubed (1/2 cup)
  • 2 tbsps ice cold water

For the filling

  • 2 and 1/2 cups pecans (250 gms; see notes)
  • 85 gms unsalted butter, at room temp (6 tbsps)
  • 55 gms dark cooking chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup honey (170 gms)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (100 gms)
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsps whiskey, optional
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs, at room temp (see notes)
  • Whipped cream to serve, optional

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, stir the flour, salt and sugar together, then add the cubed butter. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs and there pea-sized bits of butter scattered through it.
  • Slowly add the ice water and stir with a spatula to combine, then use your hands to bring it together in a soft dough. Place the dough on a large piece of clingfilm, flatten into a disc, wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour. I actually prefer to make the dough the previous day and let it rest overnight in the fridge and keep the filling and baking for day two.
  • Remove the chilled dough from the fridge, unwrap and place on a silicone mat. (You can also do this on a floured kitchen counter, but I prefer the mat to prevent sticking.)
  • Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll out into a 12 inch circle. I like to do this with clingfilm on top because I find that in warmer temperatures, this prevents the butter from melting onto the rolling pin and making the dough messy.
  • Transfer the rolled out dough back to the fridge for 10 minutes, keeping the top covered with clingfilm. (This is also where the silicone mat comes in handy, you can easily slide it onto a tray with the dough and place it in the fridge.)
  • Lightly grease a 9" pie dish. To place the rolled out dough in the dish, fold it in half and then half again to make a quarter shape. Lift and place in the pie dish, then unfold and press it onto the sides and base. Trim the edges and use the scraps to patch up any bits that may have torn.
  • Transfer the pie dish to the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190 C.
  • Prick the base of the dough with a fork several times. You will 'blind bake' the crust now so pricking it helps prevent the base from puffing up too much. You can also blind bake it by placing a piece of baking paper on the dough and filling it up with dried beans to weigh the dough down, but I didn't find this necessary.
  • Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is lightly browned on the bottom and the edges. Set aside to cool while you make the filling.
  • Lower the oven temperature to 175 C.
  • Now it's time to start on the filling. First, spread the pecans out in a single layer on an ungreased baking tray. Place it in the oven for about 10 minutes until fragrant and toasted (but not burnt!). Set aside to cool.
  • In a saucepan on low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth. If there are a few small lumps of chocolate left, turn off the heat and continuing stirring to let them melt down. Pour into a mixing bowl and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
  • Now stir in the honey, brown sugar, cocoa, flour, vanilla and whiskey. Finally, whisk in the eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth. Be gentle with this step, because beating too vigorously will cause a lot of air to b whisked in, and the filling will crack as it bakes.
  • Now scatter half of the toasted pecans on the base of the pie crust. Pour the filling over, then scatter the remaining pecans on top, arranging them in circles if you wish.
  • Place the pie dish on a baking tray and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the center appears set or has a very slight wobble.
  • Lower the temperature to 150 C, cover the pie with foil and continue baking for another 30 to 40 minutes until a toothpick poked in the center comes out with only gooey, sticky sauce on it, no pure liquid. It will continue to set as it cools so be careful not to over-bake it. Depending on the honey and sugar you use, this baking time might vary, so it's helpful to do the toothpick test a couple of times.
  • Let the pie cool completely at room temperature before slicing. During this time, any puffiness on the top will fall a little and if cracks formed on top, they will close up. Use a sharp knife to slice right through the pecans and the crust. Tastes best warm or at room temperature and can be stored covered for one day, but in humid areas, it's safest to place it in the fridge after that where it will keep for 4 to 5 days. Serve individual slices with a little unsweetened cream! The pie also freezes well. Happy baking :)

Notes

*Pecans usually come in halves, like walnuts (which make a good substitute here if you can't get pecans). If you would like to chop the pecans further to make the pie easier to slice, feel free but I like the texture that they provide when left whole. While I didn't use an Indian brand here, I find that for imported nuts, Miltop which is available in India, is priced a little better.
*I can't suggest a substitute for the eggs here as they are required to get the filling to set. In theory cornflour should help, but I haven't tried this pie that way. You might have some luck with vegan recipes online.
*Prep time does not include chilling and cooling time.
*Adapted from a New York Times recipe