By Eve Fox, Garden of Eating
Makes one 9-inch pie
For the filling
2 eggs
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons (1/2 a stick) organic butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons instant espresso or coffee, mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make a thick paste (*editors note: May substitute decaf espresso)
6 oz. pecans, chopped
For the crust
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons organic butter, chilled
1 large egg yolk
1-3 tablespoons ice water
For the crust
1. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Cut the butter into small pieces – I usually slice the stick into 3 or 4 long pieces, then flip it over and do the same thing along the other side and then cut it into small slices to create little cubes.
2. Using two sharp knives or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Add the egg yolk and one tablespoon of ice water and stir with a fork until it starts to stick together and form dough. You may need to add more ice water as you stir to get it to begin sticking together.
4. Give it a quick kneed until you've incorporated everything and then wrap the dough in waxed paper and let it chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer. You can make the crust ahead of time or even use a store-bought crust.
5. Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and lay it out on a floured surface – you can use the counter or an upside down baking sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll it out in a rough circle until it is about 10-12 inches in diameter than gently pick it up and drape it in the pie dish. Roll any excess under and then crimp the edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork. If you won't be using pie weights, poke the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of the fork.
For the filling
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the chopped nuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet and put them in the oven to toast while it's heating up – I'd set a timer for 5 minutes to ensure that you don't end up burning them. Once they're browned, take them out and set them aside to cool.
7. When the oven reaches 400 degrees F, blind bake the pie crust for 10 minutes (again, use a timer!) until it is looking golden brown. Don't freak out if it starts to balloon up, just gently poke it back down. Set it aside on the counter to cool.
8. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Combine the melted butter, salt, sugar, maple syrup, coffee, and eggs and whisk to combine. Lay the toasted pecans and chopped chocolate in the bottom of the pie crust then pour the filling over it and top with a few whole, raw pecans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes. The outer edges should be firm while the center should be a little bit jiggly. Take it out and let it cool fully before serving. This will allow the center to finish cooking completely and set fully. Serve on its own or with whipped cream.
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