Certain recipes combine dark chocolate with warm caramel for a truly decadent example of dessert cuisine.
One such recipe is for Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie which comes with a delicious pie crust, a thick chocolate filling, and a sea salt topping.
Chopped pecans work well in most desserts and this counts as a different version of a pecan pie that combines expertly with salted caramel.
For a great glimpse into southern living, try to create this Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie and it may become a firm favorite.
Whether you create the pie crust yourself or opt for a store-bought pie crust, this is a simple recipe to follow for chocolate lovers.
A Variation On A Pecan Pie
The Pecan Pie has remained a favorite, certainly in southern living, for its use of toasted pecans.
The Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie goes a step further by involving an Oreo crust, unsalted butter, a caramel mixture, heavy cream, dark chocolate chips, and coarse sea salt.
That may seem excessive yet each ingredient complements the other in a winning recipe.
You will still need a 9-10″ tart pan though you can use a pie plate or a springform pan with a coating from a nonstick cooking spray.
The Pie Shell
You may need to perform some blind baking if you are creating your own pie shell as opposed to buying one.
The base is typically made from an Oreo crust of blitzed cookies mixed with melted butter which is then chilled.
This is a versatile recipe where you can make a pie shell like you would for pecan pies then use some dried beans or pie weights to create your pie shell which is ready for the filling.
The Oreo Crust
If you do go for the Oreo crust then blitz up the cookies in a food processor and stir in melted butter.
Press the crust into the tart or springform pan then leave for chilling.
Remember, this recipe is one for chocolate lovers so the crust is vital for the base of this Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie.
Using Corn Syrup
One divisive ingredient is corn syrup which goes into the filling.
You may prefer to control the amount of sugar by making your own sugar syrup yet you can use a light corn syrup.
The Salted Caramel Layer
To create that salted caramel chocolate filling, place the caramels into a medium bowl with the heavy cream.
This should be a microwave safe bowl as it will need to be heated for around three minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
The mixture should be smooth then add in the kosher salt to taste and the chopped pecans.
Once the mixing is done, spread evenly over the crust for the dark amber salted caramel layer.
The Chocolate Pecan Pie Filling
In a large bowl, place the dark chocolate chips and even more heavy cream.
At this point, some recipes call for eggs, golden syrup, vanilla extract, and even brown sugar.
The filling should be thick enough without having to add eggs so whisk until that chocolate has melted.
You may need to stir constantly to ensure that the mixture is smooth then spread evenly over the layer of caramel.
The Sea Salt Topping
Sprinkle over some coarse sea salt or kosher salt then leave for chilling until set.
That should take a couple of hours and if you are using a springform pan then you can remove the base when the finished Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie is cold.
A Possible Salted Caramel Topping
Instead of the sea salt topping, you can create a further salted caramel topping.
Mix together sugar, lemon juice, and water to bring to a boil in a medium saucepan over a high heat. Refrain from stirring until the sugar begins to change color to dark amber.
Remove from the heat, add cream and butter then stir constantly until the butter is incorporated and add table salt.
Using Chopped Pecans
Of course, this would not be a pecan pie if you did not add chopped pecans.
These work well with the sea salt topping or just on their own arranged in a spiral pattern.
With toasted pecans, you can arrange pecan halves on top of the Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie and then add the caramel sauce.
With regular pecan halves, you may want to bake the pie and then leave it to cool before you sprinkle on some sea salt.
Final Thoughts
If you love chocolate then this variation of a pecan pie is a sure winner.
A Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie comes with many flavors yet the pecan halves still provide decoration and a moreishness.
The chocolate filling is decadence itself yet the salted caramel creates a great showcase for southern living.
Whether you use dark chocolate or not, the crust should be a great final layer in this pie.
This Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie may be too much for some so you could have some left over.
That may be fair considering the combination of vanilla extract, granulated sugar, salted caramel, dark chocolate, toasted pecans, and perhaps even golden syrup.
Thankfully, despite the use of butter in the filling, the recipe is not complex enough not to be stored properly.
Use some plastic wrap to store each piece of this delicious pie in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the recipe state ‘swirling occasionally required’ when creating the salted caramel?
It can become tempting to continue to watch over salted caramel and overwork it.
By swirling occasionally, the sugar is given a chance to change color and effectively changes form.
Once thicker, this caramel mixture should be set when chilled as an additional layer on top or underneath the chocolate layer.
If there is no swirling when you do pour caramel on top it may prove too runny which would ruin this Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie recipe, even if there is no need for instruction to ‘preheat oven and bake’.
Is it necessary to bake a Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie?
Some recipes do call for the Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Pie to be baked while others only require it to be chilled.
This may depend on whether you use a pie shell, toasted pecans, or pecan halves, or simply prefer a warm caramel chocolate pecan pie.
If you need to bake it then, much like a fudge pie, bake until bubbling which should only take 15 minutes.
Leave to cool on a wire rack then sprinkle on the sea salt.