You got Chocolate in my pecans
In the 1970’s Reese’s peanut butter cups had an ongoing ad campaign with the catchphrase “You got chocolate in my peanut butter”. The first ad was in New York. But, in the American South, the concept dated back farther than that. But, the line You got Chocolate in my pecans would be more likely. That’s because Pecan Pie is a staple in southern cuisine. And, the introduction of Chocolate to the pie is what we celebrate today. It’s National Chocolate Pecan Pie day. So, get ready to indulge in a taste of southern hospitality. As a bonus, our recipe today adds in another southern staple with cult like following: Bourbon.
Just what is Chocolate Pecan Pie, and Why is it so darn good? Well, it’s probably one of the worst foods for your health from a doctor’s point of view. Pecans are one of the highest fat nuts coming in at around 72% fat compared to macadamia’s 74%. And, the pie filling is a combination of sugars, eggs, and butter. Then we go and top that with Chocolate and Bourbon. This is a heart attack waiting to happen. But, the flavors are so intoxicating. With or without chocolate, pecan pie was MLK’s favorite Dessert. And, it still is a favorite throughout the Southern USA, and nationwide. The attraction in the south stems from local pride, since the pecan is native to the region. In 2013, The Texas legislature named Pecan pie, the official pie of the state. This, despite Georgia being the number one producer of pecans.
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When did the first person say You got Chocolate in my pecans?
This is definitely one of those questions we will never have an answer to. But, we can be thankful that it happened. As for knowing dates, etc, The first written recipe for pecan pie appears to be a Vanity Fair recipe from 1886. It, officially, shows up in “the Joy of Cooking” in the 1940’s. And, there have been several changes to the recipe along the way, including multiple variations. Chocolate Bourbon Pie really became popular in the 1960’s when it graced the tables of annual Kentucky Derby Celebrations and received press from the Louisville Courier-Journal. But, all these ingredients were here long before any of the European settlers took over the continent.
The word Pecan derives from the Algonquin word Pakani. And, its existence and use dates back at least 8,000 years. And, the use of Chocolate in the region pre-dates the Aztecs. So, who’s to say when the first pecan or Chocolate pecan occurred. As far as the pie is concerned, though, Pies, especially sugar pies seem to have a European origin. So, Pecan pie would be a combination of East meets west (Europe being east at the time). Regardless of when it started, the pie we know today owes a lot to the Karo Syrup company. They marketed their corn syrup as the quintessential ingredient in pecan pies. Most recipes call for it. Since Corn Syrup is everywhere these days, we encourage you to forego the corn syrup in favor of honey, agave, or other syrup. Granted, Corn syrup helps create the consistency most people expect, But …
A taste of Southern Comfort
Unlike The Three stooges’ Southern Comforter, Pecan Pie is truly a taste of southern Comfort. And, today, we take that literally by adding bourbon such as Southern Comfort. Plus, serving the pie with a bourbon cocktail may make for an even more fun holiday. And, why not? Pecan Pie is a starting point. As mentioned, it’s basically a sweet sugar based pie filling with pecans. So, layering other flavors is a natural extension. You got Chocolate in my pecans? Well, just Like Reese’s, these are two great tastes that go together. In addition, the Origin of Both Chocolate and Pecans to the indigenous peoples of the Americas makes this a history lesson in Pie form. The deliciousness demonstrates how the old and new worlds can collaborate harmoniously. It’s something we should all aspire to.
So, what are you waiting for, Get that oven pre-heated, those pecans and chocolate ready, and, open that bottle of Bourbon. Thankfully, this recipe only calls for a shot of it. More bourbon for you to drink! If you don’t have the time to make a pie yourself, there’s no shame in buying one. But, you may have a hard time finding a pecan pie with chocolate. Melting some chocolate with bourbon doesn’t take very long. So, feel free to “fix” that non chocolate pie. Served with some whipped cream or ice cream, you’ll see why southerners feel that this pie is like going to heaven. Enjoy!
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- For Pie Dough:
- 2.5 Cups AP Flour
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Cup Very Cold Butter Cut into 1/4 inch Cubes (best if put in freezer for 20 minutes or straight out of fridge)
- 4 to 8 Tbsp Ice cold water
- For Chocolate Glaze:
- 8 Ounces Sweet or semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, chunks, or disks
- 1 Ounce Bourbon
- 1 Ounce Vegetable Oil
- For Filling
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Light Corn Syrup (or Honey)
- 1/2 Cup Molasses
- 1/4 Cup Bourbon
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt or sea salt
- 1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Make Pie Dough: Mix all the dry ingredients together. Then, you can either use a food processor or mix by hand, add in the cold butter into 1/2 of the flour. Mix until all the butter is coated. Then, add the rest of the flour. Mix until it becomes a paste. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time, mix well. You want a solid dough, not too wet or dry.
- Lightly flour a flat, clean surface. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Fit the dough into a 9 inch pie tin and crimp the edges by hand. Set aside until filling is done.
- For Chocolate glaze: Melt chocolate, booze, and oil in a double boiler or in a mixing bowl over a pan of boiling water. Stir until smooth. If it is too thick, add more oil. But, don't make it too thin or it won't set up. Take half the chocolate and brush the inside of the pie shell.
- For Filling: Boil all ingredients except for eggs, Butter, and vanilla in pot for about 2 minutes. Be sure to mix it well. make sure the syrup is smooth. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Slowly drizzle in the hot liquid, whisking constantly until the mix is smooth. be careful not to add too fast or you could curdle the eggs. Stir in the butter and vanilla quickly. The residual heat will melt the butter.
- Fold the pecans into the filling. Then, pour the filling into the pie shell. Make sure it lies flat. Put the pie tin on top of a sheet pan to catch any drips if the pie bubbles over. Bake the pie for 45 to 60 minutes until it firms up.
- Remove the pie from the oven and drizzle with the rest of the chocolate. Cool at least an hour. When it is fully set up, you can slice it and serve. Try serving it with ice cream and a bourbon caramel sauce or just as is.