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Chocolate: Caramel Chocolate Pie

Source of Recipe

Simply Perfect Chocolate, BH&G Pub., 1998


List of Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup half-and-half
or light cream
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1 9 inch baked pastry shell -- see recipe
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
2 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces -- optional
1 teaspoon shortening -- optional
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans -- optional


Recipe

For caramel layer, melt butter or margarine in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and half-and-half or light cream; mix well. Cook and stir over medium-high heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir 5 minutes more. Stir in the 1 cup pecans. Pour mixture into Baked Pastry Shell. Set aside.

For creamy custard layer, stir together granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Gradually stir hot mixture into egg yolks. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook and stir till bubbly; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat; stir in the 3/4 cup chocolate pieces till melted. Cool about 45 minutes or till mixture is room temperature. Meanwhile, combine cold water and gelatin in a 1-cup glass measuring cup. Let stand for 2 minutes. Place measuring cup in saucepan of boiling water. Cook and stir about 1 minute or till the gelatin completely dissolves.

Beat whipping cream in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed while gradually drizzling dissolved gelatin over the whipped cream. Continue beating till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Stir 1 cup of whipped cream into egg mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour over top of caramel layer. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. To serve, if desired melt 1/4 cup chocolate pieces and shortening in saucepan; drizzle over pie. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup pecans, if desired. Makes 8 to 10 servings.