Chocolate Date and Pecan Pie
Yudhika Sujanani takes your taste buds on a spice adventure as she shows you how to revamp “old favorites “dishes with a bit sugar and a hint of spice. On the menu is a delicious French Casserole with a touch of Saffron, an aromatic Egyptian spiced Dukkah Spiced Butternut & Prawn Salad and for dessert; she prepares a gorgeous Chocolate Pecan Nut pie with Dates.
Ingredients
- For the Pastry:
- 120g butter
- 200g cake flour
- 65g sugar
- 1 egg
- For the filling:
- 125g butter
- 175g brown sugar
- 75ml golden syrup
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 200g pecan nuts
- 90g chopped dark chocolate, chopped
- 75g chopped dates, chopped
- Whipped cream, to serve
Method
- Method for the Pastry:
- Rub the flour and butter together until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the sugar and mix. Lightly beat the egg and knead gently into a soft dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Roll the pastry on a lightly dusted work surface until it is about 5mm thick and is large enough to line the bottom and sides of a 23cm loose bottomed pie tin.
- Line the tin with the pastry and press down into the base and about 3,5cm up the sides.
- Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and leave to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
- Place a piece of baking paper over the paper, cover with dried beans and bake blind for 10 minutes.
- Remove the beans and the paper and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Leave the pasty case to cool completely.
- Method for the Filling
- Place the butter in a pan, and melt on low heat.
- Add the brown sugar and golden syrup.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Leave the mixture to cool till slightly warm.
- Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Lightly whisk the eggs, then add the melted ingredients.
- Scatter the pecan nuts, chocolate and dates over the bake pie crust, then pour over the egg mixture.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 150 degrees celsius, then reduce to 140 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.
- Leave the pie to stand for a minute and then remove from the tin.
- Serve slices of the pie warm with whipped cream.