Chocolate Pecan Pie with Bourbon and Orange

With the perfect balance of sweetness and crunchiness, this chocolate pecan pie with bourbon and orange zest is delicious, quick and easy. It contains no corn syrup, so it's not overly sweet, and the orange zest adds a lovely freshness. We also blind-bake the crust to ensure that it is not soggy. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out pie dough, and line pie plate as usual. Lightly grease a piece aluminum foil, and place over pie dough (greased sided down), being sure to press it against the bottom and sides. Fill with dried beans to weight the crust down (this keeps the bottom from puffing up, and the sides from sliding down the pan as it bakes). Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer beans to a bowl, and remove foil liner. Bake for an additional 5 minutes until the bottom looks dry. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the pecans and chocolate. Set aside. Using a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, brown sugar, salt and bourbon, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until completely melted. Add the orange zest, and allow to cool slightly (you don't want the eggs to scramble when added). Whisk in the eggs until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the pecans and chocolate, then pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 25- 30 minutes, until puffed and set. Allow to cool completely before attempting to cut.

  PRINT VERSION