Kentucky Derby Chocolate Pecan (Printer-friendly)

A rich chocolate tart with pecans and buttery crust inspired by Southern flavors and festive moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry Crust

01 - 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 3–4 tablespoons ice water

→ Chocolate Pecan Filling

06 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
07 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 3 large eggs
10 - 2 tablespoons bourbon, optional
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - 1 cup pecan halves or pieces

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, stirring until dough comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
03 - Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to fit a 9-inch tart pan. Press into pan, trim excess edges, 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.
05 - Stir chocolate chips and pecans into the filling mixture until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour filling into chilled tart shell, spreading evenly across the surface.
07 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, until center is just set and top is golden brown.
08 - Cool completely before slicing. Serve plain or with whipped cream.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • The filling stays fudgy in the center while the edges set perfectly, giving you that textural contrast in every bite.
  • It's fancy enough for a celebration but honestly this good when you're just having a Tuesday night craving.
  • Once you master the crust, you feel like you've unlocked a whole new level of dessert confidence.
02 -
  • If your crust shrinks during baking, it usually means the dough was overworked or the pan wasn't properly chilled—treat the dough like you're handling something delicate, because you are.
  • The filling will look underbaked when you pull it out of the oven, and that's exactly right—it firms up as it cools and stays fudgy instead of turning into a dense cake.
03 -
  • If you're nervous about the crust, use a store-bought one—this recipe is forgiving enough that the filling is what people will remember.
  • Toast your pecans lightly in a dry skillet for two minutes before adding them if you want to deepen their flavor and crunch.
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