The Coho Restaurant kitchen has been firing on all cylinders in preparation for our special Thanksgiving feast this Thursday. Our pastry chef Jessica Bryan also makes time to prepare pies for staff members to take home and share with their families, and while we can’t deliver one to each of you, we wanted to at least post the recipe for a popular pie around our tables in case you’re still looking for one more sweet treat for your own meal. Happy Thanksgiving from the San Juan Island Inn Collection Team to you and yours!
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
from La Cucina Anna Maria: Good Life Recipes from San Juan Island
Makes one 9” pie or 8 – 10 servings
Single Pie Crust:
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. fine sea salt
9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
3 Tbsp. ice water
Filling:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 c. sugar
1 c. dark corn syrup
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
4 lg. eggs, slightly beaten, at room temperature
¼ c. bourbon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. pecan halves
Make the crust:
- Place flour, salt, and butter in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until it forms a texture like cornmeal.
- Add water and pulse until dough forms a ball.
- Remove dough from bowl and shape into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out into a large circle and fit into a 9-inch pie pan.
- Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Make the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Melt the chocolate.
- Heat the sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until dissolved.
- Stir in the butter and salt and cool for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the eggs, bourbon, and melted chocolate. Stir in the pecans and vanilla. Pour into the prepared crust.
- Bake on the center rack until the top rises and is set and crisp to the touch (begin checking after 35 minutes). The surface will be covered with little cracks that will settle as it cools.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Tip from Anna Maria: I use 3 Tbsp. Dutch cocoa and 1 Tbsp. butter in place of EACH ounce of chocolate (12 Tbsp. cocoa and 4 Tbsp. butter total). Be sure to use a good quality Dutch cocoa—it really makes a difference! This is really quick to make and a less sweet version of a traditional pecan pie.
