Chocolate Pecan Pie

You really won't believe how easy this is unless you read and try it for yourself.  You don't even need an electric mixer.

I have done this recipe with homemade pie crust, as well as the refrigerated and frozen crusts and pie shells.  However, I generally use one or two pre-made graham cracker crusts which seem to be a huge hit.  It may not look as pretty when served.  The mixture soaks into the crust and creates a toffee-like, chewy bottom, which seems to induce much eye-rolling and yummy sounds.  

This recipe with the graham crusts has become a favorite of my husband's, his co-workers and our friends.  So, here's the easy-peasy:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F

1 or 2 ready-made graham cracker crusts

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons of melted, salted butter (you can use unsalted if necessary)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of almond extract

1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup or molasses
1 cup (8 ounces) of pecan halves or pieces

Add everything except eggs and syrup and nuts to a large bowl.  Mash together until well blended.  Add eggs and mix them in.  Add syrup and mix until throughly combined.  Add nuts and stir until distributed.

Pour into one pie shell, or evenly distribute to two.

Bake 60 minutes for one, 40 - 45  minutes for two, or until the middle has a slight spring-back to the touch.

If you leave the mixture to only one pie shell you may have some extra or overflow.  Cover cookie sheet with foil and place pie on top.  If you use two graham crusts you will definitely see graham on the top, but it usually crumbles during baking or slicing.

As I said before, this won't be the easiest or prettiest slice of pie that you have served.  But, because of the flavor and the now-demanded graham crust to make a chewy bottom crust, no one will worry about its appearance.