Title: Chocolate-pecan mud pie
 Categories: American, Fall, Pie, Pudding
      Yield: 8 Servings
 
MMMMM---------------------------CRUST--------------------------------
      6 oz Chocolate wafer cookies
  1 1/2 tb Granulated sugar
      3 tb Butter; melted, warm

MMMMM---------------------------MOUSSE--------------------------------
    1/2 lb Bittersweet or semisweet
           -chocolate
      2    Egg yolks
      3 tb Strong coffee
    1/4 c  Granulated sugar
    1/4 lb Butter; cut into pieces
      3    Egg whites
      2 ts Lukewarm water
      6 oz Pecans; shelled halves
      1 c  Light brown sugar
      1 pn Salt
    1/2 c  Butter
    1/4 c  (to 1/3) heavy cream
      2 tb Dark rum
 
  Preheat oven to 350ø.
  
  CRUST: Insert metal blade in dry processor container. Process
  chocolate cookie wafers with sugar to fine crumb consistency. With
  machine running, drizzle melted butter through food chute, clean
  container side with a spatula and process 5 seconds more. Press crumb
  crust into an 11-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Chill 5
  minutes. Bake 5 minutes and set aside to cool.
  
  MOUSSE: Put half of the chocolate in dry processor container. With
  machine running, add remaining chunks through food chute and process
  until chocolate is ground to small bead consistency. Add egg yolks.
  
  Heat coffee, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir
  until sugar dissolves. Heat to simmering. With machine running, pour
  hot butter mixture through food chute in a thin stream. Stop to clean
  container side with a spatula and process 5 seconds longer. Transfer
  to a mixing bowl.
  
  Wash and dry processor container and blade. Mix egg whites with water
  and process, drizzling whites through food chute. Process until
  whites are whipped to firm peaks, usually 1 1/2 minutes. Fold whites
  into chocolate mixture and refrigerate until partially set.
  
  Dry processor container and blade with paper toweling.
  
  CARAMEL MIXTURE: Very coarsely chop 4 ounces (about 1 cup) of pecans
  using one-second pulses; set aside and set remaining whole pecans
  aside.
  
  Heat sugar, salt and butter, stirring until dissolved. Add cream and
  rum. Heat to boiling and simmer until caramel thickens to a
  consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Transfer half of the
  caramel to a small saucepan; set aside. Add chopped pecans to caramel
  remaining in pan, stir and immediately pour onto bottom of crumb
  crust, carefully spreading into an even layer. Refrigerate until
  caramel sets.
  
  ASSEMBLY: Spoon chocolate mousse on caramel-nut layer. Spread top of
  mousse smooth. Refrigerate until firmly set.
  
  Reheat remaining caramel over low heat (add 2 tablespoons cream to
  mixture to thin, if necessary). Place pecan halves in a decorative
  design on top of mousse. When caramel has cooled slightly, pour
  evenly over top of tart and distribute evenly with a pastry brush.
  Refrigerate until caramel becomes firm, about 2 hours. Cut with a hot
  knife.
  
  NOTES : Chocolate mousse, caramel and pecans in an intense,
  incredibly rich chocolate experience This is the kind of dessert you
  serve to strangers, then they taste it, their eyes widen and they
  exclaim "You made this??!?"