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Chocolate Pecan Espresso Pie

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water
• 1 1/3 cups pecan halves
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup light corn syrup

Instructions:
Crust:
In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt and mix well. With two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Gradually add just enough ice water so that the pastry holds together. Form into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Handle as little as possible. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 to 2 hours.
Roll out crust on lightly-floured surface with lightly- floured rolling pin. Turn crust over frequently and lightly re-flour work surface and rolling pin as necessary. Roll crust into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Fit into an ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate; form a high-standing rim, trimming excess from edges and pinching or fluting rim decoratively.
Preheat oven to 400F. Thoroughly prick crust all over with fork. Chill for at least 10 minutes while oven heats. Bake in preheated oven 5 minutes (crust will not brown). Remove to rack and cool completely before filling. Leave oven at 400F. Break up pecan pieces and sprinkle them evenly on the bottom of the cooled pie shell.

Filling:
In a small bowl beat eggs to combine. Add espresso powder and beat to mix. Let stand at least 10 minutes, beating occasionally to dissolve espresso.
In a medium bowl, cream softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in cocoa and salt. Add egg/espresso mixture 1/3 at a time, beating after each addition, until smooth. Stir in corn syrup. This mixture will be thick and custardy.
Pour mixture slowly over pecans in pie shell. If any pecans are not completely covered by the filling, press to submerge. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes; with toothpick or tip of sharp knife, pierce any remaining air bubbles (during this standing period, pecans may rise to top of pie).
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat from 400F to 350F and bake 33 to 37 minutes longer (or until edges are cracked and risen, but pie center still quivers slightly when pie is shaken gently). Do not over bake! If pie begins to brown excessively, cover top lightly with foil. Remove from oven; cool on rack before serving.