Kentucky Derby Chocolate Pecan (Printable Version)

A Southern-inspired tart blending rich chocolate and crunchy pecans in a buttery crust, ideal for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry Crust

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

→ Chocolate Pecan Filling

06 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
07 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 3 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
13 - 1 cup pecan halves or pieces

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water while stirring until dough comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
03 - Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press dough into pan, trim excess, and refrigerate while preparing filling.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, bourbon if using, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and fully combined.
05 - Stir chocolate chips and pecan pieces into filling mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour filling into chilled tart shell, spreading evenly across the bottom.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until center is just set and top is golden brown.
08 - Allow tart to cool completely before slicing. Serve plain or with whipped cream.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but honest confession: it comes together in about an hour total.
  • The texture contrast—crispy crust, chewy chocolate, crunchy pecans—makes every bite interesting.
  • It's Southern elegance without the pretension, the kind of dessert that makes people ask for your recipe.
02 -
  • That slight jiggle in the center when it comes out of the oven is intentional—the filling sets completely as it cools, and a fully firm bake in the oven means an overcooked tart.
  • Cold ingredients and cold dough are what stand between you and a tart crust worth bragging about, so don't skip the chilling steps no matter how impatient you feel.
03 -
  • Use a food processor to make your crust if hand mixing intimidates you—pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add water by the tablespoon until it comes together.
  • Room temperature eggs incorporate smoothly without creating lumps in your filling, so pull them out of the fridge 15 minutes before you start mixing.
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