Chocolate & Pecans & Bourbon - Oh my!

This is my all-time favorite dessert!  In high school, a friend's mother made the most amazing Kentucky Bourbon pie and I spent years trying to find a recipe to recreate that deliciousness.  Southern Living magazine came to the rescue.  I can't get enough of this pecan pie on steroids.  If you love chocolate and if you love nuts...this one is for you.

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie

(adapted from Southern Living magazine)

1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (I use 1/4 cup mini chips and 3/4 cup regular chips)
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
4 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons cornmeal (not cornmeal mix)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust.

Stir together corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk one-fourth of hot corn syrup mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot corn syrup mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust.

Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set; cool pie completely on a wire rack.