A Slice of Comfort: My Choc Chip Pecan Pie

There's something deeply comforting about a pie baking in the oven, especially when it’s this one. This Choc Chip Pecan Pie is a recipe that feels like a warm hug. It’s not overly fancy or complicated, just honest, homely baking that fills the kitchen with the most incredible smell. It’s the kind of dessert that invites everyone to gather around the table, eager for a slice.

Starting with the Pastry

I always find making the pastry from scratch to be a therapeutic start. Don't be intimidated by it! A food processor makes it wonderfully simple.

• Tip your flour and butter into the processor with a good pinch of salt.
• Blend it until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• With the blade running, drizzle in just 2-3 teaspoons of cold water. You'll know it's ready when it just starts to clump together.
• Tip it onto a surface, give it a very brief knead to bring it into a ball, then pat it into a disc. Wrapping it in cling film and letting it chill for at least 20 minutes is the key to a flaky, tender crust.

Blind Baking the Case

While the pastry chills, heat your oven to 200C/180C fan. Once rested, let the pastry sit for five minutes before rolling it out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Gently line your tin, pressing it into the corners. Don't worry about being perfect; a homemade look is what we're after here. Leave a little overhang, line it with scrunched-up baking parchment, and fill it with baking beans (or any dried beans from the cupboard!).

Bake it like this for 15-20 minutes until set, then remove the beans and parchment for another 5 minutes of baking to get a beautiful golden colour. A quick trim with a knife gives it a neat edge.

The Sweet, Gooey Filling

This is where the magic happens. It’s a simple syrup that transforms into something magical.

• In a pan, gently melt together the butter, golden syrup, and sugars with another pinch of salt until it's smooth and dissolved.
• Let this sweet mixture cool for about 10 minutes—this is important so it doesn’t cook the eggs when we add them!
• Reduce the oven to 160C/140C fan.
• Beat your eggs, then whisk them into the syrup mixture along with a good splash of vanilla, all the pecans, and most of your chocolate chips.

Bringing It All Together

Now for the fun part. Pour half the filling into your waiting pastry case, scatter over some chocolate chips, then top with the rest of the filling and the remaining chips. Bake it for 50-55 minutes until it’s gloriously set with a slight wobble in the centre.

And now, the hardest part: