WHEN YOU TURNED LEFT AND LEFT, YOU LEFT A POTHOLE IN MY HEART PIE

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ cup honey ¼ cup dark molasses ½ teaspoon instant coffee 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2¼ cups coarsely chopped pecans 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup unsweetened cocoa, the darker the better ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 (9-inch) prebaked pie shell

Put butter, brown sugar, honey and molasses in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When it gets foamy, turn heat down slightly and boil for 3 minutes. Whisk in coffee and vanilla extract. Set batter aside and allow to cool for about 30 minutes (but not longer or it will get too thick to stir in the pecans).

Set an oven rack at the upper middle level and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

While batter is cooling, spread pecan pieces in a single layer on a large baking pan and place in oven. Toast for 8 to 12 minutes, until nuts turn slightly deeper in color and are fragrant. Remove from oven and transfer to a medium bowl so that they cool faster. Leave oven on.

Whisk eggs into cooled batter, along with cocoa and salt, until thoroughly blended. Fold in pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pie shell and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until surface has puffed a little and isn’t very sticky to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least half an hour before cutting (it’ll still be warm, no worries).

Pie will sink slightly as it cools. Slice and serve with homemade whipped cream.

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy or whipping cream

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar Pour cream and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Beat on highest speed until it’s roughly doubled in volume. Keep beating and fairly quickly.

Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Stop beating when the cream holds soft peaks, which will be just a minute or two. That’s it. Prepare for raves.