Pecan Pie

So it is Pi Day. I thought Doug would like pecan pie, which I have not made in a long while. This version has a bit of bourbon for flavoring, and some chocolate on part of it (for me!)

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups (250g) coarsely chopped pecans 
• 3 large eggs
• 1 to 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  (use just 1 teaspoon if adding bourbon)
• 2 Tablespoons bourbon - optional
• 1 cup (240ml) dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed dark brown sugar
  (or I used 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar and no corn syrup)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  (so it won’t cook eggs)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup or so whole pecans for top
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips - optional (for flavoring 1/2 of pie)

Instructions:

1. Prepare single pie crust (1/2 recipe of pie crust from here, or use store bought.) 
2. Roll out pie crust, place in pan, an let sit in refrigerator to chill.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in lower third of oven.
4. Spread chopped pecans evenly in pie crust. 
5. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and bourbon.
6. Whisk in corn syrup and/or sugar(s), flour, salt, cinnamon. 
7. Once combined and smooth, pour evenly over pecans.
   (If you want to add chocolate chips to part of the pie, sprinkle them on now.)
8. Place or evenly sprinkle whole pecans on top of pie.
9. Bake the pie for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. 
10. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, place a pie crust shield on the edge of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. 
11. After the pie is cooked and browned, remove pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before serving. (The filling will settle a bit as it cools.)
12. Serve either warm or at room temperature.

Carole's Notes:

We liked it! I like my desserts to have some chocolate in them, so I sprinkled some chocolate chips in about 1/3 of the pie. Doug usually likes regular pecan pie - it may be his favorite pie. (He says he could not taste the bourbon.)

I used a blend of two recipes:
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2015/11/06/my-favorite-pecan-pie-recipe/
and
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chocolate-pecan-pie-bourbon