PECAN AND CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO PIE

Steps:

• To Make Crust:
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt and mix well.
• With two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is in fine crumbs.
• Gradually add just enough ice water so that the pastry holds together. Form into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Handle as little as possible.
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 to 2 hours.
• Roll out crust on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin.
• Turn crust over frequently and lightly re-flour work surface and rolling pin as necessary. Crust should be rolled into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Fit crust into an ungreased 9 inch pie plate of heatproof glass.
• Form a high-standing rim, trimming excess from edges and pinching or fluting rim decoratively as desired.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 C).
• Thoroughly prick crust all over with fork.
• Chill for at least 10 minutes while oven heats. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes (crust will not brown).
• Remove to rack and cool completely before filling.
• Leave oven at 400 degrees F (205 C).
• Break up pecan pieces and sprinkle them evenly on the bottom of the cooled pie shell.
• To Make Filling:
• In a small bowl beat eggs to combine.
• Add espresso powder and beat to mix.
• Let stand at least 10 minutes, beating occasionally to dissolve espresso.
• In a medium bowl cream softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
• Beat in cocoa and salt.
• Add egg/espresso mixture 1/3 at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth.
• Stir in corn syrup. This mixture will be like custard and it will be thick.
• Pour mixture slowly over pecans in pie shell. If any pecans do not get completely covered by the filling, submerge them until they do. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes.
• With toothpick or tip of sharp knife, pierce any remaining air bubbles (during this standing period, pecans may rise to top of pie).
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat from 400 degrees F (205 C) to 350 degrees F (175 C) and bake 33 to 37 minutes longer (or until edges are cracked and risen but pie center still quivers slightly when pie is shaken gently).
• Do not over-bake! If pie begins to brown excessively, cover top lightly with foil.
• Remove from oven; cool on rack before serving.