An Ultra-Sweet Christmas Treat: Pecan Pie

Nothing evokes Christmas like the company of family and friends, cheerful Yuletide hymns and great food. Of course, no holiday dinner would be complete without desserts. My all-time favorite sweet treat to bake for the holidays is pecan pie. The sweet aroma of the nuts and the delicious brown sugar filling wafting through every nook and cranny of the house is pure bliss. I put a twist on the classic recipe by throwing in some semisweet chocolate chips and a shot of bourbon to add dimension and character.

Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie

Makes a 9-inch pie

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
• 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• 2 cups pecan halves, lightly toasted
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.

2. Combine all-purpose our, caster sugar and iodized salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add cold, unsalted butter and toss well. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Using the blade attachment, process the mixture in short bursts until the pieces of butter are the size of peas.

3. While pulsing in quick 3-second bursts, drizzle the ice cold water into the food processor through the feed tube. As soon as the dough comes together in a ball, remove it from the food processor. Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or until firm.

4. Roll out dough on a lightly oured surface until it forms a circle approximately 13 inches in diameter. Line prepared pie pan with the dough. Flute edges and refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Line the pie dough with a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill the cavity with pie weights (dried beans or uncooked rice works well, too). Bake the crust “blind” in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove pie weights and bake 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool completely.

6. Lower oven temperature to 325°F. Scatter pecan halves and semisweet chocolate chips on bottom of baked crust. Pour filling (recipe below) into the baked crust.

7. Bake pie for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Remove pie from the oven and cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Filling:

• 3 large whole eggs
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup bourbon

Combine all the ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk well.

Photography by Paul del Rosario

Styling by Nancy Dizon-Edralin