Par bake the crust...
0 Roll your pie dough out to about a 12” circle
2 Carefully transfer the dough into an ungreased 9” deep pie dish
3 Trim the excess with a sharp knife and shape the edges as desired
4 Follow the manufacturer instructions for par baking your pie
5 Once you remove the par baked pie crust from the oven, set the oven temperature to 350°
Make the chocolate fudge layer...
7 Combine 4 ounces of chopped bittersweet chocolate and 4 tablespoons of butter in a heat safe bowl and warm using the microwave or a double boiler until the butter has melted
8 Mix until the chocolate and butter is completely combined and set aside to cool slightly
9 In a large bowl, whisk 1 large egg, a large egg yolk, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of brown sugar until fully combined
10 Add the cooled butter and chocolate mixture and mix until combined
11 Add 1/3 cup of all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of unsweetened natural cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of espresso powder (optional) and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix until just combined
12 Pour into the par baked pie crust and bake for 26-28 minutes in a 350° oven (cover the exposed pie crust if browning too much)
13 Transfer the pie onto a cooling rack while you prepare the pecan topping
Make the pecan topping...
15 Add 4 tablespoons of butter, 2/3 cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan and place over medium heat
16 Bring to a simmer for about 2 minutes and transfer off of the heat
17 Stir in 2 cups of chopped or whole pecans
Assemble the pie...
19 Once the chocolate fudge layer has cooled, spread the pecan mixture evenly over the top
20 Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
