Chocolate Pecan Pie

Last week, I detailed my croque madame at the Elysian Cafe in Hoboken. Though it didn't hold a candle to my first croque madame en Paris, it was a delish adaptation. I also mentioned that my brunch companion and long time friend, Maggie, will be leaving me today as she moves back to Missouri to be closer to her fam. Over the last few months, we've developed a tradition of Sunday brunch, followed by multi-hour Castle marathons while enjoying sweet treats, like sugar cookies and Irish soda bread. But for our very last brunch and Castle viewing sesh (we just can't get enough, and the recent two-parter just added more fuel to the fire), Maggie whipped up a Chocolate Pecan Pie for the record books. Adapted from the southern belle herself, Paula Deen, this pie had all the right moves. Both sugary and nutty, this pie couldn't be easier. Let's get down to it...

Chocolate Pecan Pie
*Adapted from Paula Deen
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell
2 cups pecan halves
3 large eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons good-quality bourbon, optional (...since M never developed a taste for the hard stuff, she omitted and it tasted just wonderful sans bourbon)
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (or as a time saver, you can use morsels)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In unbaked pie shell, cover the bottom with pecans. In mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and eggs. (Note: make sure the butter isn't too hot, or you'll get scrambed eggs) Add corn syrup, bourbon (if using), sugar and chocolate. Stir it all together until combined. Pour the mixture into pie shell, over the pecans. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes more, or until pie has set. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

So there you have it. A pie recipe that's both palette pleasing and super simple to boot. Don't you think this would make a sublime and untraditional Easter dessert? I know I'm considering it, but have other concoctions in mind (stay tuned next week)...

Now, I should mention that Maggie did find one fault with this recipe: that the pie, while deliciously gooey, tended to get a little runny as she cut into it. See what I mean in the photo above? And well...I'm stumped. Is this just a hazard of making pecan pie? Is there a way to avoid the overly runny nature of said fabulous gooeyness? Any takers?

UPDATE: This fabulous pecan pie was recently featured on Serious Eats Photograzing...see it here!