CHOCOLATE WALNUT PUMPKIN PIE

By gaster16

Ingredients

• Chocolate Walnut Layer:
• The pastry can be made up to 3 months ahead and frozen. The pie can be baked up to 4 days before serving. Cover when cool and refrigerate.
• 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold butter or margarine (not spread) cut in small pieces
• 1/4 cup ice cold water
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup walnut pieces toasted (to toast nuts spread in baking pan, bake in 350 degree oven 8-10 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant and lightly browned)
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pumpkin Layer:
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (2/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preparation

Step 1

Put flour in a medium bowl. With pastry blender, cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water all at once. Stir with a fork until mixture clumps together to form a dough. Press dough into a ball. Break off 1/3 the dough. Pat each portion into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, at least 1 hour or up to 3 months. On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll larger portion dough into a 12" circle. Fit into a 9" pie plate, trim overhang to edge of rim. Roll remaining dough. With a small knife, cut out leaves and long strips for vines. Brush dough on rim with egg mixture. Press on some leaves and vines (wind strips around pencils to make tendrils). Reserve some leaves and vines to garnish pie. Place pie shell in freezer. Shape remaining dough into 3 balls. Score pumpkinlike sections into sides with back of knife. Press a clove, pointed end up, into each for a stem. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pumpkins and reserved leaves and vines on a greased cookie sheet. Brush pumpkins and leaves with egg mixture. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10 to 30 minutes, removing pieces to a wire rack as they brown. Store, loosely covered at room temperature. Meanwhile spread nuts and chocolate pieces in pie shell. Whisk remaining chocolate walnut layer ingredients in a bowl until blended. Pour into shell. Bake 25 minutes until slightly set. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes or until top is firm to touch. Reduce heat to 350 degrees. whisk pumpkin layer ingredients until blended. Pour into pie shell. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until set and knife inserted near center of pumpkin layer comes out clean. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Serve garnished with pumpkins, leaves and vines. Or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.