Caramel Pecan French Silk Pie

Total Time: 5 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 baked pastry shells
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces (1 cup)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons creme de cacao or 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 (12 1/4 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping (1 cup)
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans or 3/4 cup almonds
• 1 cup whipped cream
• chocolate curls (optional)

Recipe

• 1 prepare baked pastry shell; set aside.
• 2 in a heavy medium saucepan combine the 1 cup whipping cream, the chocolate pieces, butter, and sugar.
• 3 cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted (about 10 minutes).
• 4 remove from heat.
• 5 gradually stir half of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks.
• 6 return egg mixture to chocolate mixture in saucepan.
• 7 cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened and begins to bubble (about 5 minutes).
• 8 remove from heat.
• 9 (mixture may appear to separate.) stir in the 3 tablespoons creme de cacao or whipping cream.
• 10 place the saucepan in a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until the mixture stiffens and becomes hard to stir (about 20 minutes).
• 11 transfer the chocolate mixture to a medium mixing bowl.
• 12 beat cooled chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• 13 spread caramel ice cream topping in bottom of baked pastry shell.
• 14 sprinkle pecans evenly over caramel.
• 15 carefully spread filling into pie shell.
• 16 cover and refrigerate pie for 5 to 24 hours.
• 17 to serve, top with whipped cream.
• 18 if you like, garnish with chocolate curls.