Black Bottom Chocolate Pecan Pie » Hummingbird Extreme

Black Bottom Chocolate Pecan Pie

This chocolate pecan pie has two layers in its filling: a darkish chocolate ganache for its black bottom, beneath a gooey brown sugar pecan filling. Not solely does the ganache supplies loads of chocolate style to the pecan pie, it moreover acts like a “seal” that stops the pie crust from getting soggy. Due to this, the pie retailers quite nicely and could also be made plenty of days ahead of serving.

For further distinctive Thanksgiving pie recipes, strive Hummingbird Extreme‘s Pie Recipe assortment! Nicely-liked recipes embody Chocolate Chess Pie and an elevated mannequin of Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Recipe.

Parts and Substitutions

Now that I’ve glad you to make this black bottom chocolate pecan pie, proper right here’s each half you need for the recipe:

Shopping for Guidelines for Black Bottom Chocolate Pecan Pie

Keep in mind to scroll all the way in which all the way down to the recipe card for the exact ingredient parts:

All About Retailer Bought Frozen Pie Crust

Deep-Dish Frozen Pie Crust versus Widespread Frozen Pie Crust

Deep-dish pie crusts ideally preserve spherical 4 cups of amount and spherical 2 to 2 ½ inches deep. In distinction, frequent pie crusts preserve spherical 2 to 2 ½ cups of amount and are spherical 1 to 1 ½ inches deep. Retailer-bought pie crusts will typically specify whether or not or not or not they’re “deep-dish” (nonetheless further on that shortly—not all store-bought pie crusts are created equal!). If the label doesn’t say one thing, assume it’s a day by day pie crust!

Can I exploit a frozen pie crust that I roll out and type into the pie pan instead?

Certain, with reservations. First, be sure you have a 9-inch, deep-dish pie pan at dwelling that will preserve in any case 4 cups of amount. Then, guarantee to buy a pie dough sheet sufficiently huge to fit your pan.

Sadly, I don’t have any nationwide strategies for pie dough sheets. Nonetheless, in case you reside inside the Portland/Seattle metro areas, I wish to suggest Grand Central Bakery’s Ready-To-Use Pie Dough.

Can I exploit a store-bought graham cracker pie crust instead?

Certain, with reservations. You acquired’t should pre bake the graham cracker pie crust for as long as the Bake Time inside the recipe underneath. In its place, observe the Bake Time actually useful by the producer.

Can I exploit a gluten-free pie crust instead?

Certain, utterly! Nonetheless doing so will NOT make this black bottom chocolate pecan pie recipe 100% gluten-free given that pecan filling accommodates flour.

How To Make Black Bottom Chocolate Pecan Pie

Listed under are the elemental steps to make black bottom chocolate pecan pie from scratch:

First, pre bake the pie crust.

1. Prep the pie crust for pre baking. (Prep Time:
   Unwrap the pie crust from its packaging and set it on a lined sheet pan. Cowl the crust with foil and make it potential for its crimped edges are totally lined. There should be no gaps between the foil and crust—if there are, you hazard burning components of your pie! Fill the lined pie with pie weights.
2. Pre bake the pie crust. (Bake Time: half-hour)
   Bake for half-hour to “set” the pie crust. Whereas the pie is baking, make your egg wash: whisk collectively 1 huge egg white and 1 teaspoon of water. I moreover advocate prepping the elements—that is, measuring each half out—for the pumpkin pie filling proper now.
3. Seal the pie crust with egg wash. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   As quickly because the pie crust is accomplished baking for half-hour, set the whole factor—sheet pan with the pie filled with pie weights—on a wire rack. Don’t neglect to go away the oven on! Fastidiously use the foil to lift out the pie weights proper right into a heatproof bowl. Be careful! All of the items will in all probability be scorching! Brush the underside and sides of the pie crust with the egg wash.
4. Finish pre baking the pie crust. (Bake Time: 5 minutes)
   Bake for yet one more 5 minutes to “set” the egg wash. As quickly as achieved, set the pre baked pie on a wire rack to sit back totally.

   If you happen to want to make your life less complicated, I counsel prebaking the pie a day ahead of setting up the ganache, pecan filling, and baking the whole factor. That technique you don’t have to sit down spherical and look ahead to the pie to sit back!

Subsequent, make the ganache layer.

1. Prep the elements for the ganache. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
   The ganache solely has two elements: darkish chocolate and heavy cream. Although you acquired’t should prep the cream previous measuring it out, you DO should take the time to prep the chocolate. Notably, you might chop the chocolate into fairly small ¼- to ½-inch gadgets. Any greater and the gadgets acquired’t soften appropriately!
2. Make the ganache. (Work Time: 10 minutes)
   Prepare dinner dinner the cream in a small sauce pan merely until it begins to boil. Immediately pour it proper right into a shallow bowl containing the chopped chocolate. Cowl with a lid (I merely use an the opposite method up plate!) for 5 minutes to lure the heat in and allow the cream to melt the chocolate.

   After 5 minutes, uncover the cream and chocolate and whisk collectively to make the ganache. Immediately pour it into the prebaked pie crust, using a spatula or spoon to unfold it evenly all through the underside and sides of the crust. Freeze the whole factor while you make the pecan filling to allow the chocolate to set.

Then, make the pecan filling.

1. Prep the elements for the pecan filling. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
   To prep the pecan filling, measure all the elements out and guaranteeing each half is on the temperature described inside the recipe. Which suggests milk and eggs that are at room temperature, and butter that’s been melted and cooled barely so that it’s not scalding scorching.

   You’ll moreover should dice plenty of the pecan halves for the filling. I wish to suggest chopping them up into ½- and 1-inch gadgets.

2. Make the pecan filling. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   The pecan filling comes collectively SUPER quickly. First, mix collectively the brown sugar, flour, and salt, then the milk and eggs, then the vinegar, vanilla, melted butter, and finally, the pecans. It’s important to mix the elements inside the order that they’re listed inside the recipe. Must you throw each half collectively in a single bowl, the filling ends up pretty lumpy and has a tricky time smoothening out.

Lastly, assemble and bake the black bottom chocolate pecan pie.

1. Assemble the pie. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   Take away the pie crust from the freezer and set it on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Pour the pecan filling into the crust over the chocolate layer. Then, garnish the filling with the remaining pecan halves. The pecan halves should carry on the ground of the filling versus sinking—that’s what you want!
2. Bake the black bottom chocolate pecan pie. (Bake Time: 50 minutes)
   The pie needs 50 to 55 minutes inside the oven. When achieved, the edges of the filling should be set. Nonetheless the center should wobble merely EVER so barely. As soon as extra, that’s what you want! After you pull the pie from the oven, it might proceed to organize dinner and set the filling to the proper texture.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

Why do you prebake the crust?

Most custard-filled pie recipes instruct you to pre bake the pie crust sooner than filling it. Prebaking the pie crust helps maintain the crust crisp and prevents a soggy-bottomed pie. There’s moreover the reality that many custard fillings put together dinner so much faster than the crust itself. The crust needs additional time inside the oven to truly crisp up. Be taught further in my submit on The fitting approach to Pre Bake Pie Crust.

In my recipe underneath, I add specific instructions on recommendations on easy methods to pre bake store-bought pie crust. Although most store-bought pie crusts have instructions on recommendations on easy methods to pre bake the crust, I am under no circumstances glad by their outcomes. I found that the crusts had been under no circumstances crispy or achieved ample! So the recipe underneath makes use of my tried and examined methodology of pre baking pie crust. It incorporates a neat trick on “waterproofing” the crust with egg wash!

Help! When making the ganache, I poured the cream into the chocolate and waited 5 minutes resembling you instructed. Nonetheless, after I started mixing the elements collectively, all the chocolate didn’t soften. What did I do improper?

A lot of points could’ve occurred proper right here:

It might very nicely be that the chocolate wasn’t chopped finely ample. Inside the recipe underneath, I notably instruct you to finely chop the chocolate into ¼- to ½-inch gadgets. If the chocolate is just too big (even ½- to 1-inch gadgets), it acquired’t soften totally when combined with the cream.

Or it might very nicely be that you just didn’t get the cream scorching ample. The cream should be pretty scorching—as close to freshly boiled as doable—in the event you add it to the chocolate. The cream moreover loses a wide range of heat in the event you pour it into the bowl of chocolate, so be sure you cowl the bowl with a lid to lure the heat in!

Or it might very nicely be that you just didn’t steep the chocolate and cream for the exact time. Must you steep it for too wanting a time, the chocolate acquired’t have ample time to melt. Must you steep it for too prolonged, the cream will quiet down an extreme quantity of. Set a timer for 5 minutes—that’s the proper time frame to steep the elements collectively!

Lastly, don’t panic. In case your chocolate didn’t soften, it’s possible you’ll restore it! Set the bowl of chocolate and cream on a saucepan filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Ensure that your bowl is heatproof, and the underside of the bowl does not contact the water! Prepare dinner dinner each half over medium heat, mixing usually, until the elements combine.

Help! The chocolate and cream merely would NOT combine. Really, the additional I stirred, the elements kinda separated? What did I do improper?

Ganache can usually “break up” or “break”, which implies the fat inside the chocolate separates to supply the ganache an oily, separated look. This may happen when the ganache is stirred too vigorously or at too low of a temperature. So when whisking, goal for a gradual nonetheless common motion!

Moreover, as soon as extra, don’t panic! If the ganache breaks, we’re in a position to restore it. Set the bowl of ganache on a saucepan filled with 1 to 2 inches of water, guaranteeing the underside of the bowl does not contact the water. Prepare dinner dinner over medium-low heat to 92°F, whisking slowly nonetheless steadily to re-emulsify the ganache.

Can you freeze black bottom chocolate pecan pie?

Certain!

Cool the pie on a wire rack totally. As quickly because it’s cool, stick your full issue—pie pan and all—inside the freezer. At this degree, go away it uncovered. You’re freezing it to get the filling secure for wrapping later. Freeze for 2 to 4 hours, until the pie filling is completely secure. Then, wrap your full think about two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Doing so ensures that the pie doesn’t take in any flavors or odors from completely different gadgets inside the freezer. Freeze for as a lot as 3 months.

To serve, swap to the fridge to thaw in a single day. Serve barely chilled, or rewarm specific particular person slices inside the microwave.

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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule

Over the earlier plenty of years of working Hummingbird Extreme, I saved an vital side of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, terribly demanding job inside the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I lastly reveal the secrets and techniques and strategies to baking delicious desserts on schedule.