Chocolate Pecan Pie

This vegan chocolate pecan pie is adapted from a recipe in Marjie Lambert’s Cajun Cooking which makes an American classic even more redolent of southern cuisine by adding the richness of chocolate and a slug of bourbon.

Although this pie is jam-packed with nuts (260 grams including pecans, almonds and cashews), it’s very chocolatey. For the most intense flavour use chocolate with a high cocoa content, but a lighter chocolate (eg, 30-50% cocoa solids) works very well. If you don’t have bourbon or other whisky, a couple of spoonfuls of brewed coffee are a fine substitute.

It’s a pie with a reliably good consistency. When served warm, the syrupy chocolate and pecan filling is really soft but you can still cut neat slices. When it’s cooled to room temperature (as in the photos), the centre retains the soft sticky texture you expect from a pecan pie.

It will store well for a few days in an airtight container. In fact, it might taste better on day two or three.

Chocolate pecan pie…

Ingredients

for the pastry case

• 140 g plain white/unbleached flour
• 45 g coconut oil (preferably the flavourless kind)
• 45 g soft vegan margarine (not a low fat variety)
• 2 tbsp white or brown sugar

for the filling

• 100 g dark non-dairy chocolate
• 160 g pecans
• 80 g golden syrup (light treacle)
• 80 g brown sugar
• 40 g soft vegan margarine
• 50 g cashew nuts
• 2 tbsp bourbon/other whisky/brewed coffee
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 50 g ground almonds
• 35 g white/unbleached self-raising flour
• pinch of salt (up to 1/8 tsp)

Method

1. Prepare the pastry case. You will need an 8″ pie/flan tin. Using a pastry blender or by rubbing between your fingers, mix together the flour, coconut oil, margarine and sugar until no little lumps of fat remain. If the coconut oil is hard, soften it a little in the microwave before you begin. It should have a similar consistency to the margarine.
2. Add 2 tbsp of cold water. Mix, then bring the dough together into a ball. Ideally, you should leave the dough for half an hour before rolling, but it’s not crucial.
3. Roll the pastry on a well-floured board to form a circle at least 10″ across. Transfer to the tin, gently pressing into place (if it breaks, just patch it back together).
4. Trim the edges with a flat-bladed knife and set aside in the fridge to chill.
5. Set the oven to 180°C/360°F.
6. In a small bowl or jug, cover the cashew nuts with boiling water. Set aside to cool for a bit.
7. In a bowl over a pan of hot water, or carefully in the microwave, melt together the dark chocolate, margarine and syrup.
8. Set aside around 20 pecan halves (for decoration) and roughly chop the rest.
9. Drain the cashews, add 60 ml of fresh water and blend in a mini-processor or blender until you have a smooth cashew cream.
10. Add the whisky and vanilla extract to the cashews and blend for a few seconds more.
11. Add the cashew cream mixture and sugar to the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
12. Then add the chopped pecans, ground almonds, flour and salt and stir until everything is well combined.
13. Transfer the mixture to the pastry case, level the top and arrange the reserved pecan halves on top.
14. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The filling will rise up then partially shrink back again after you remove it from the oven. It will feel quite firm to the touch when ready.
15. Allow to settle and cool before removing from the tin and cutting.

If you would like to receive e-mail alerts when new recipes are published, please see my contact page.