There aren?t many desserts that I have trouble finishing.
Even when other people tap out after a few bites because something is just ?too rich,? I?m not generally one to join them.
I tend to be the last woman standing, fork in hand, proud (and full) of vanquishing that delicious concoction.
The pie recipe I?m sharing with you this week almost did me in, though.
When you lift the finished pie, you?ll be surprised at the sheer heft of it, and trust me, dishing out a large piece on your dessert plate will lead you to quickly realize that your eyes are much, much bigger than your stomach.
But it?s so good that, after you recover, you?ll be seriously tempted go back for more.
This recipe was originally published in the December 2013 issue of ?Taste of Home? magazine. You can find it online at http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/coconut-pecan-german-chocolate-pie. I doubled the vanilla in my version below.
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Coconut Pecan German Chocolate Pie
Ingredients
Single pie crust
Filling:
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 egg yolks
1 cup flaked coconut (I used sweetened)
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place pastry in a 9-inch pie plate and flute the edges. Do not prick the pastry. Line it with a double-thickness of foil and fill with pie weights, uncooked rice or dried beans.
Bake the crust for 11 to 13 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned. Remove the foil and weights and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes until crust is golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack and reduce the oven temperature to 350.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolates. After you let them cool slightly, whisk in the condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla and then stir in the pecans.
Pour it into the crust.
Bake for 16 to 19 minutes or until set.
Cool for at least one hour on a wire rack.
When the hour is almost up, combine the brown sugar, cream and butter for the topping in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
In a small bowl, whisk a little bit of the hot sugar/cream/butter mixture into the egg yolks (this will temper the eggs so they don?t end up in a scrambled consistency). Put the egg yolks into the pan with the sugar/cream/butter, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 160 degrees.
Remove from heat and stir in the coconut and vanilla.
Cool the topping for at least 10 minutes and then pour over the filling and sprinkle with pecans.
Refrigerate at least four hours before serving.
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This pie is super delicious, and it would be a nice addition to your Christmas table. And even if you have an army to feed during your festivities, this pie will definitely fit the bill, because a little goes a long way.
So, when you serve it, don?t forget to cut the pieces a bit smaller than you might usually.
After all, while we love Santa, we don?t want to spend the holidays feeling like a bowl full of jelly ourselves.
When not helping husband Joey with newspaper work, Lindsey teaches speech, debate and forensics at Haven High School. She can be reached at lindseyclarion@gmail.com.
