PecanPIECaken - A Pecan Pie Inside a Maple Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake

I have been wanting to pair up my home-roasted pecans with a flourless chocolate cake for as long as I can remember, but have never got 'round to it for some reason. And then I thought, why not put a pecan pie inside of a flourless dark chocolate cake? This seemed to be the inspiration I needed, because I jumped right to the task without hesitation.

The overall taste was delicious. A rich, fudgy not-to-sweet chocolate cake surrounded a sweet pecan pie. The whole thing was topped with a maple-chocolate glaze, which added a nice, smooth finish to this over-the-top dessert.

Here is how to do it:

1. Make (or buy) a pecan pie.  I prefer to make my pies because the ingredients are all natural - most store-bought pies have all sorts of modified cornstarch and hydrogenated oils in the ingredients, so it is best to just make it. I made this recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/p/pe/pec/peca/pecan-pie-recipe.html.  I modified it only by using rum instead of rye and changing the brown sugar to muscovado. I also used an 8" pie plate instead of 9", and I lined the pie plate with parchment paper to make it easier to extract the pie.

2. Prepare the batter for a Maple Flourless Chocolate Cake by doubling the recipe at this link: http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.ca/2013/07/maple-dark-chocolate-truffle-cake.html. You can also use maple syrup instead of maple sugar crystals, or if you don't have any maple syrup, forget it in the cake and use regular granulated sugar.

3. Once you have the batter prepared, then prep a 9" or 10" springform cake pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and buttering the paper and the sides. Pour half the batter into the bottom of your cake pan. Then flip the pie upside down onto the centre of the batter. Pour the rest of the cake batter on top of the pie.

4. Bake the entire PIECAKEN for 50 minutes to 1 hour in an oven that is pre-heated at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  With flourless chocolate cakes, it is difficult to tell when they are cooked. But I just scrape back a little of the top see if it looks slightly spongy.  If it is wet and still completely uncooked, add a few more minutes. 

5. Let cool for an hour on a rack on the counter, then refrigerate until completely cooled.

6. Run a knife around the insides of the cake pan and then open and remove the sides. Flip the entire PIECAKEN upside down onto your serving plate.

7. Top with a maple-chocolate glaze (the 'ganache' recipe here) and roasted pecans, or chocolate shavings.

8. Makes 12-16 servings. Remember: this is rich so pieces do not need to be very big!

Enjoy!