level: moderate   Makes one 9-inch pie, 6 to 8 slices

Crust:
1 recipe Traditional Pastry Piecrust dough for a 9-inch single-crust pie
¼ cup heavy cream (to glaze the crimped pie edges)

Filling:
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups Caramel Sauce
2¾ cups pecan halves
¼ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

To prepare the pie shell, on a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out half a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it forms a 10-inch circle. Wrap the remaining half of the dough tightly in plastic wrap and reserve it in the refrigerator for future use for up to 5 days.

Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream to create a perfect, golden brown finish. Set
the pie shell to the side while you make the filling.
To prepare the filling, using an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat the sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, and vanilla together for about 3 minutes, or until a light brown color is achieved.

Add ½ cup of the caramel sauce (if the caramel sauce has been stored in the refrigerator, warm it up in the microwave for about a minute, or until it softens and is easier to incorporate) and mix again. Add the pecans, again mixing well.

Pour the remaining ¾ cup caramel sauce across the bottom of the pie shell, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel. Pour the pecan mixture on top of the caramel sauce.

To bake, place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the pie is firm in the middle, with just a little bit of jiggle. Transfer the pie plate to a wire cooling rack and allow the pie to cool and set for 1 hour before serving.

Caramel-Chocolate-Pecan Pie is best served at room temperature. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. When covered tightly with plastic wrap, it can also be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Notes and Tips:
I take caramel very seriously. Over time, I’ve perfected a recipe that results in a thick, sweet caramel sauce, which perfectly offsets the pecans and flaky crust of this pie.

Caramel Chocolate Pecan Pie