Chocolate Pecan Pie from the Heart of Texas

1 9-inch pie shell
½ stick unsalted butter
3 squares semi-sweet chocolate; chopped
1 cup light corn syrup
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
½ cup whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In 2 quart saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate together until smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. With fork, beat in corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, salt and eggs. Beat until well blended.
3. Arrange pecans on bottom of pie crust. Carefully pour egg mixture over pecans.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes clean. Cool on rack. Serve garnished with Whipped Cream or make your own favorite crust.