A Very Un-Pecan Pie

Let's get the record straight right from the start......I LOVE pecan pie, in fact I wait all year to have it.  Strangely though I think I am the only one in my family that has an affinity for this sweet treat. 

This unfortunate fact therefore pushed me to come up with an alternative to this dessert that still embodied the essence of pecan pie but without, well, pecans.   Now I know, I know, this pie is a staple at any Thanksgiving feast and why would anyone want to screw with perfection, but out of necessity I had to shake it up a bit, challenge the norm, push the boundaries (you get the drift) so my family could be one with dessert Nirvana.  So to satisfy my year long craving I took the notion of pecan pie and decided to give it, well, a tropical theme, and added some chocolate just for good measure (and to satisfy my husband who is worse than a woman when it comes to chocolate).  What I ended up with was something pretty outrageous, a little unusual, and hopefully a nutty pie that my family can love. 

Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Coconut Pie

1 9-inch pie crust
*you can refer to my post on pie for a recipe
4 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup butter
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 1/2 cups macadamia nut pieces toasted
2/3 cup unsweetened grated coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small saucepan melt the butter and six ounces of the chocolate.  When the chocolate is completely melted set aside while you finish the filling.  In a large bowl combine the eggs, sugars, vanilla, corn syrup, and cream.  Mix until well combined.  Add the melted chocolate and mix until well incorporated. 

In a small bowl combine the macadamia nuts and coconut.  Pour into a prepared 9-inch pie crust.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the nuts (you'll notice that the nuts start to rise to the top, that's OK, it's what you want to see).  Cover the crust with foil (this prevents the crust from over browning, just take it off mid-way through the baking process) and bake the pie until the filling is set but is still a little loose, about 1 hour.  Set the pie on a rack to cool completely. 

Once the pie is cool, melt the remaining two ounces of chocolate and drizzle over the top of the pie and your ready to serve!