Smoky Bourbon Pie

By Claudia Sieb

This pie is definitely for adults – while the bourbon alcohol technically “boils off”, the flavor is not “kid sweet” and is designed for a grown-up palette with its deep dark chocolate flavor and smoky undertones. I (liberally) adapted this from a Southern Living recipe.
Ingredients

• Single refrigerated piecrust (I prefer the type in a roll you put in your own pie pan, NOT the ones already in an aluminum tin!)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped toasted nuts. I used pecans and almonds — many combinations will work but be sure to toast them in the microwave or oven. Toasting adds so much flavor!
• 3/4 cup very dark chocolate cut into small ¼” pieces. I used 80% cocoa for a really dense flavor that is not particularly sweet
• ¾ cup sweet coconut flakes
• 1 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup smoky bourbon (I use Knob Creek)
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 teaspoons cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt

1. Preheat your oven to 325°.
2. Fit piecrust into your pie plate.
3. Sprinkle nuts, coconut and cut up chocolate into bottom of piecrust.
4. In a medium saucepan, stir together corn syrup, brown sugar and bourbon. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Whisk eggs with melted butter, cornmeal, vanilla and salt. Add about a ¼ cup of the hot mixture to the egg mixture and whisk, don’t allow the eggs to “cook”. Add this mixture back into the hot mixture and whisk.
6. Pour into the pie crust
7. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set. Cool completely. I refrigerated mine but be sure to put a hot pad under the pie when putting into the refrigerator.