Recipe: Chocolate-pecan pie from Last Dance in Avondale Estates

This week, we’re sharing a recipe for the chocolate-pecan pie from Last Dance , which opened in Avondale Estates over the summer . The recipe includes making a pie crust from scratch. However, you can use a store-bought crust to save time. Pastry chef and co-owner Chris Marconi recommends a Pillsbury brand refrigerated pie crust. And while the recipe calls for a convection oven, you can use the convection setting on your oven. If you don’t have a convection oven or setting, simply add a little extra time to bake the pie. You’ll be left with a quite a few egg whites afterwards. Freeze the extra egg whites for later, or try one of these ideas for using those up . More from the Rough Draft recipe archives Ingredients Crust 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp sugar 8 ounces butter, cold and cubed 1/2 cup ice water, strained Filling 6 large eggs, plus 8 egg yolks 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 3/4 cups light corn syrup 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar 1/3 cup bourbon 1 tsp salt 4 ounces butter, melted 1 cup small pecan pieces 3/4 cup 60% dark chocolate chips Directions Make the crust: Keep all crust ingredients cold until ready to mix. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk together. Add cubed butter. Mix on low speed using a paddle attachment for 1 to 2 minutes, or until butter becomes dime-sized. While mixer is running, slowly pour in cold water. Let mixer run on low until dough comes together. (You are looking for very little flour at the bottom of the bowl.) Dump dough out onto a table. Knead lightly into discs. Flatten as much as possible. This will make it easier to roll out later. Chill until dough is firm, approximately 30 minutes. Lightly flour table. Roll dough into a circle, about 1″ wider than your pie tin. Press dough round into the bottom creases of the pan. Press dough onto sides of pan. Make a crimp at the top, making sure to pinch tightly enough to decrease potential air bubbles. Prick the bottom with a fork. Freeze for 30 min. Par bake your crust: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Take frozen pie shell and place a piece of parchment paper or foil into pan. Pour in pie weights or any type of dried beans. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove weights, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until crust doesn’t appear doughy. Slight color is ideal. Make the filling: Melt butter. Mix with sugars by hand. Add each ingredient, hand-whisking extremely well with each addition. Leave batter out, hand-whisking every so often. Assemble: Place chocolate chips in the bottom of the pie shell. Place pecan pieces on top. Optional: Place pretty pecan halves around the border in a concentric circle Gently pour filling over nuts and chocolate chips, making sure to coat every nut. Bake the pie: Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit in a convection oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until there’s a firm jiggle in the center. Let cool. Package: Once pie is completely cool, flip upside-down onto a cake board. Torch the bottom of the pie tin until the tin loosens. If you don’t have a kitchen torch, place the pie in a 350-degree hot oven for 1 to 2 minutes, then slide out of pan.