pecan and chocolate espresso pie

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
• 5 tablespoons ice water
• 1 1/3 cups pecan halves
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup light corn syrup

Recipe

• to make crust: in a medium bowl, combine flour and salt and mix well. with two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is in fine crumbs. gradually add just enough ice water so that the pastry holds together. form into a ball, then flatten into a disk. handle as little as possible. wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 to 2 hours.
• roll out crust on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin. turn crust over frequently and lightly re-flour work surface and rolling pin as necessary. crust should be rolled into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. fit crust into an ungreased 9 inch pie plate of heatproof glass; form a high-standing rim, trimming excess from edges and pinching or fluting rim decoratively as desired.
• preheat oven to 400 degrees f (205 c). thoroughly prick crust all over with fork. chill for at least 10 minutes while oven heats. bake in preheated oven 5 minutes (crust will not brown). remove to rack and cool completely before filling.
• leave oven at 400 degrees f (205 c). break up pecan pieces and sprinkle them evenly on the bottom of the cooled pie shell.
• to make filling: in a small bowl beat eggs to combine. add espresso powder and beat to mix. let stand at least 10 minutes, beating occasionally to dissolve espresso.
• in a medium bowl cream softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. beat in cocoa and salt. add egg/espresso mixture 1/3 at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth. stir in corn syrup. this mixture will be like custard and it will be thick.
• pour mixture slowly over pecans in pie shell. if any pecans do not get completely covered by the filling, submerge them until they do. let stand 2 to 3 minutes; with toothpick or tip of sharp knife, pierce any remaining air (during this standing period, pecans may rise to top of pie).
• bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. reduce heat from 400 degrees f (205 c) to 350 degrees f (175 c) and bake 33 to 37 minutes longer (or until edges are cracked and risen but pie center still quivers slightly when pie is shaken gently). do not over-bake! if pie begins to brown excessively, cover top lightly with foil. remove from oven; cool on rack before serving.