Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate

This delicious Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate will fulfil all of your pie dreams. Start the recipe with a simple homemade pastry and line the baked shell with dark chocolate. Fill it with a maple syrup, spice and pecan filling and bake until just set. Serve with a touch of yogurt or ice cream and enjoy every delicious bite.

This Pae Nati Pēkani me te Tiakarete Parauri (Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate) hits all the right notes! I did not grow up eating this pie but it is such a wonderful pie to make and eat.

The pōhā (pastry):

Start with the homemade pastry. Spike the pōhā reka (sweet pastry) with kiri rēmana (lemon zest) or kiri ārani (orange zest). Blind bake the pōhā reka (sweet pastry) and then brush it with tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate), this seals the pastry and gives a rich depth of flavour to the pie.

The filling:

Make a quick karamea (caramel) with pata (butter), huka hāura (brown sugar) and marahihi māpere (maple syrup) with the perfect amount of sweetness. Allow that to cool for ten minutes and then hit it with spices, wanira (vanilla) and wai rēmana (lemon juice) or wai ārani (orange juice). Add three hēki (eggs) and whip gently. Pour the liquid over roasted nati pēkani (pecan nuts) and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes, until just set.

You can eat it or warm with a scoop of aihikirīmi wanira (vanilla ice cream). However, I prefer to make it at least a day before so that flavours have time to infuse and develop. Serve with kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream) or miraka tepe (yogurt). Have I convinced you yet? Ka pai (great), let's make some pie.

More tohutao (recipe) to try:

If you love the flavours of maple syrup and pecan, try my Sticky Maple and Pecan Scrolls! Or maybe you are after a pie with a pop of citrus flavour? Well look no further than my Lime Pie, the flavours will blow your mind. Finally, do you need a cake that wows the crowd? Try my S’mores No-bake Chocolate Cheesecake or Chocolate Charlotte Cake (No-bake) these two showstoppers always make a good impression.

Videography and photography taken by Sarah Henderson.

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Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate - Pae Pēkani me te Tiakarete Parauri

A delicious pecan pie, spiked with citrus, vanilla and dark chocolate that lines a homemade pastry.

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Servings 12 servings

Equipment

• A 36cm x 13cm rectangle quiche tin or a 26 cm round quiche tin.

Ingredients

The Sweet Pastry - Te Pōhā Reka

• ¾ C (185 g) puehu parāoa kounga (high grade flour)
• ⅓ C (55 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
• ½ C (60 g) peru oneone (ground almonds). This can be swapped for ¼ C of extra flour.
• He kini tote (a pinch of salt)
• Kiri rēmana pīrahirahi (finely grated lemon zest, of 1 lemon). This can also be replaced with kiri ārani (orange zest, of a small orange).
• 100 g pata mātao (chilled butter)
• 2 tablespoon (30 ml) wai mātao (chilled water)

The Chocolate - Te Tiakarete

• 100 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate, 62% is what I enjoy but use what you like).

The Pie Filling - Te Puku o te Pae

• 210 - 250 g nati pēkani (pecan nuts, raw)
• 50 g pata (butter)
• 1 tablespoon puehu parāoa (flour)
• ⅔ C (135 g) huka hāura (brown sugar, tightly packed). You can also dark muscovado sugar.
• ½ C (170 g) marahihi māpere (maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon hinamona kuoro (ground cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon rau kikini whakauruuru (mixed spice)
• 2 teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) wai rēmana (lemon juice) or wai ārani (orange juice)
• ½ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
• 3 hēki iti (small eggs, size 6)

Instructions

The Sweet Pastry - Te Pōhā Reka

• Add the puehu parāoa (flour), puehu huka (icing sugar), tote (salt) and peru oneone (ground almonds) in to a medium bowl.

  Grate in the kiri rēmana (lemon zest) or kiri ārani (orange zest).
• Cut the pata (butter) in to small cubes or grate it directly in to the flour mixture.

  Using your hands, a fork or a pastry cutter, rub the pata (butter) in to the flour mixture until you can have a rough crumb .
• Add the wai mātao (cold water) and gently knead for a minute or so until a dough forms. Do not over knead it, just work it until a smooth dough forms.

  Wrap the pōhā (pastry) in baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes of chilling, roll out the pastry on to the baking paper so it it is larger than your quiche tin. I used a 36cm x 13cm rectangle quiche tin but you can also use a 26 cm round quiche tin.

  Flip the pōhā (pastry) in to the tin and press it out evenly. Trim off the excess pastry. Chill the pastry in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Blind Baking the Pastry

• As it the pastry chills, preheat the oven to 170 °C
• Remove the chilled pastry, press the baking paper in to the pastry. Add the baking beans or weights. This can be rice or even a similar sized cake tin that is weighed down with something heavy.

  Place the tin in the bottom part of the oven and bake for 15 minutes .
• Remove from the oven and remove the baking weights and baking paper.

  Return to the bottom of the oven and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove and leave aside to cool slightly as you prepare the tiakarete (chocolate).

The Chocolate - Te Tiakarete

• Break or cut the tiakarete (chocolate) into small pieces. Gently melt it in the microwave in 10 seconds bursts, stirring after time has elapsed or in a small pot over low heat.
• Using a pastry brush, smear the tiakarete (chocolate) on to the blind baked pastry shell. Make sure you cover the base and the sides. Leave to the side.

The Pie Filling - Te Puku o Te Pae

• Add the nati pēkani (pecan nuts) on to a tray.

  Bake for 10 minutes at 170 °C, until golden and toasted.

  Remove from the oven and leave to the side to cool.
• Set a pot or frying pan over low-medium heat. Add the pata (butter) and melt.

  Add the puehu parāoa (flour) and cook for 2 minutes until bubbly.
• Add the huka hāura (brown sugar) and marahihi māpere (maple syrup). Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugars have dissolved.

  Remove from the heat, pour in to a medium bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
• After ten minutes, add in the hinamona (cinnamon), raukikini whakauruuru (mixed spice), wai rēmana (lemon juice) or wai ārani (orange juice) and tote (salt). Whakaranuhia - stir to combine.
• Add a hēki (egg) at a time and whisk until incorporated. Do not whisk in a way that creates too much air in the mixture, just stir until all the egg is mixed in.

  Repeat the process with all of the hēki (eggs).
• Reserve 1 Cup of nati pēkani (pecan nuts) for decorating the top of the pie.

  Chop the remaining nati (nuts) in to smaller pieces .
• Add the chopped nuts onto the chocolate lined pastry.

  Pour over the spiced egg mixture and use the reserved nati pēkani (pecan nuts) to create a pattern on top.
• Place in the bottom of the preheated oven.

  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven.
• Brush with extra marahihi māpere (maple syrup) and a sprinkling of flaky salt.
• Once cool, refrigerate the pie until needed or store in a sealed container and keep in a cool cupboard. The flavours will develop in the days after it is baked so it is defiantly a great make ahead dessert! It will keep well for around 5 days.
• Serve with miraka tepe Kiriki (Greek yogurt) or kirīmi tāwhiuwhiu (whipped cream).

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