Once I bought a caramel-pecan French silk pie from a cafeteria and the taste was like a homemade one – so, I took the challenge to make my own version of it. Now, this became one of the favorite desserts in our home! Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
For the caramel layer:
- 17 oz. jar caramel ice cream topping
- 3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
For the cream layer:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
For the chocolate layer:
- 2 (3.4 oz.) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
- 2 to 2 1/2 cup cold milk
For the topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons reserved caramel
- ½ cup chocolate chips, melted (or a handful of pecans) – optional
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press mixture in bottom and up the side of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, over medium heat, toast the pecans (while moving back and forth with a spatula or wooden spoon) for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat immediately, and place into a bowl.
- Remove the lid of the jar from the caramel topping. (Make sure the jar is microwavable) Microwave for 20 seconds – this is just to loosen up the caramel and make it easy to pour – it doesn’t have to be fully melted or hot. Pour the caramel over the pecans. Reserve a few Tablespoons of caramel for the topping.
- Stir the pecans into the caramel, portion half into the pie crust, and spread over the bottom. Refrigerate to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, and sugar until smooth.
- When the caramel pecan mixture is cool, divide the cream cheese mixture and spread over the top, then return to the refrigerator.
- Mix the chocolate pudding mix with 2 cups cold milk. Use an electric mixer to blend 4-5 minutes until thick and set. (Add extra milk if needed to thin slightly.)
- Spread the chocolate layer over the cream cheese layer. Return to the refrigerator.
- Whip the cream with the sugar. Spread or pipe over the top of the chocolate layer. Drizzle melted chocolate and warmed caramel topping over the whipped cream. (Place the chocolate into a small Ziploc bag and microwave a few seconds until melted. Cut a corner off the plastic bag, and drizzle the chocolate out of the corner.) Sprinkle with reserved chopped pecans.
- Chill thoroughly before cutting and serving.
Enjoy!