Chocolate Drizzle Pecan Pie Tart

Oh.....my......GOODNESS!!!  How have I lived so long without ever trying pecan pie!

This past weekend my husband and I were invited over to a friends' house for a dinner party and were asked to bring the dessert!  Of course I jumped at the chance to make something new, and immediately got out my cookbooks, and visited my bookmarked websites, trying to find good ideas for what to make.  That's when I remembered that I've been wanting to try pecan pie.  Growing up I was always afraid to try it. Something about the way the pie looked, and the fact that it had nuts in it, instead of chocolate, sent me running in the opposite direction. Now that I'm somewhat older though, and have come to LOVE pecans, I've really had the desire to make it.  Unfortunately, the opportunity had just never presented itself, until now..... 

Instead of making a traditional pecan pie though, I decided that I would attempt to construct it in the form of a tart.  Mostly, because I've been wanting to try out my new tart pan that I've never used.  I happened to find this fantastic looking recipe online and instantly knew that it would be perfect for the dinner party.  

The only downside to trying new recipes, especially when you're taking them to someone's house, is that you never know how it might turn out.  Therefore, I need to admit that I was a little nervous when the tart first came out of the oven.  In my opinion, it looked a little too crispy on top.  I figured that I would let it sit out overnight, and when I checked on it in the morning, I became even more worried.  The top of the tart looked and felt pretty solid, but when I stuck a knife down into the filling it seemed just right.  I almost thought about not taking the dessert to the party and making something else instead, but I'm so glad that my husband convinced me otherwise.  The tart was absolutely perfect and was a big hit!

The moral of my baking experience is.....looks can be deceiving!  Once again, I had never made pecan pie, so I didn't know that that's what it should have looked like!  I can see this recipe being made again either at Thanksgiving or Christmas!  Who knows......maybe both!

Chocolate Drizzle Pecan Pie Tart
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Ingredients:

For the Crust:
1 stick cold butter, cubed (place back in fridge until ready to be used)
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (a little more, if needed)
½ tsp. salt
½ cup ice water, divided

For the Filling:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup Karo dark corn syrup
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups pecans, chopped or halved
1 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9-inch tart pan with a nonstick cooking spray (I use Pam).

To Make the Crust:

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, butter, salt, and 2 Tbsp. ice water.  Process the ingredients together until the mixture looks like course meal.  Continue to add 1 Tbsp. of ice water until the mixture comes together and forms a ball.  (If you accidentally add too much water, just add in some more flour)  Place the ball of dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper and flatten in the shape of a circle.  Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and then wrap up tightly and place in the refrigerator for around 45 minutes.

Once the dough has been chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll the dough out between the two pieces of parchment paper.  Transfer the dough into a 9-inch tart pan and press it into the fluted edges and bottom.

To Make the Filling:

In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs.  Add in the sugar, dark corn syrup, butter, and vanilla.  Stir together until well blended.  Distribute the pecans evenly within the tart shell.  Slowly pour the filling over the pecans and place into the oven, once the pecan halves have risen to the top.  Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack.

Melt the chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute.  Stir around, until it’s able to be drizzled over the top of the tart.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride