Chocolate Pecan Tart

Pie is my favorite dessert but of all the pies pecan is my least favorite. It's a little too sweet and jelly-like for my taste I guess. I haven't really sat down to examine all my feelings on the issue.

But several years ago I went to a class taught by my friend Dani that gave out some pecan recipes and this chocolate pecan tart changed my thoughts about the traditional holiday dessert forever.  It has the same base as a pecan pie but thinner so it's not quite so syrupy and jellyish and then you have a thick drizzle of dark chocolate ganache over the top that cuts the sweet down to size.  Of course the vanilla ice cream on top helps a bit too.

At any rate, it's a fabulous recipe and one I'll be making for Thanksgiving along with Upside Down Apple Pie. Here are some of the other recipes I'll be making. Tried and true, you can't go wrong with any of these.

Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing (adapted from another of Dani's recipes)
Cranberry Onion Sauce (good for turkey or pork loin it's savory-sweet)
Sesame Cheese Crescent Rolls (different but absolutely and completely wonderful)
Smoked Gouda Rolls (that's "how-da" to you)
Sweet Mustard Sweet Potatoes (I'm a sweet potato fan but I refuse marshmallows)
Sweet Potato Souffle (A side dish? A dessert? You be the judge)
Orange Glazed Carrots (because there's not enough beta carotene at Thanksgiving)
Baked Brie with Honey Garlic Sauce (the greatest appetizer ever invented)
Sparkling Pomegranate Holiday Punch (a classy punch for the feast)
Fancy Two-Toned Drinks (a magic trick for your table)
White Hot Chocolate (for when we decorate and listen to holiday music)
Chocolate Truffles (easy to do and tasty too)

9" prebaked crust in fluted tart pan
1½ cup pecan halves
4 large egg yolks
⅓ cup dark corn syrup
½ cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
¼ cup heavy cream
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces semi sweet chocolate, melted
1 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
vanilla ice cream

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the pecans over the bottom of your prebaked pie crust. In a saucepan combine the egg yolks, corn syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, butter, ¼ cup cream and salt. Heat over low heat while stirring constantly. Do not let mixture boil. Cook about 7-10 minutes, until it becomes slightly thicker.

Stir in the vanilla and pour whole mixture carefully over the pecan-lined crust. Bake for 20 minutes until filling is puffed and golden and beginning to bubble.

Cool for 45 minutes before taking crust out of tart pan. Combine semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon cream and melt either in microwave on low power or in double boiler on stove until chocolate is thin enough to drizzle. Add more cream if necessary.

Drizzle back and forth over tart in criss-cross pattern then serve with ice cream on top.