Derby Pie

Alright peeps. I feel like I've let down humanity. If you don't know about this deliciousness, I take full responsibility, for I have known about its goodness my entire life. I repent of my wrongdoings and beg for forgiveness.

Derby Pie's (also known as Tollhouse pie) origins go back to a little inn in Kentucky (which I've never visited), and named after, you guessed it, the Kentucky Derby (which I've never attended. Although, I've watched every Derby of my entire life, so I think I get a little credit here). So, I might add that it actually tastes best if consumed while watching the Derby, on the first Saturday of May. If you wear a big hat or bow tie, it will probably taste even better.

As mentioned, I've never had the original. The original recipe is under lock and key. It also has Kentucky Bourbon in it, and pecans, both of which I omit. The pie's consistency is similar to a pecan pie, with the words creamy richness coming to mind. There are two schools of thought when it comes to this dish. One, is to melt the chocolate chips before adding to the batter, giving it a gooier, richer, texture. The other is to toss them in as is, giving it a chocolate layer on the bottom. I belong to the second school of thought.

Without further adieu, I will now share the recipe that I use. I've made this recipe almost as many times as I've made toast, so I've learned a few tricks along the way.

First, you must have a handsome assistant. I've tried without, and it just doesn't work out quite as well. 

The bigger he smiles while making it, the better it will taste.

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell*

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

sweetened whipped cream or ice cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If you have a convection oven, I'd go ahead and use that here. 

Beat eggs in mixer on high speed until foamy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in sugars and flour. Beat in butter. Make sure your butter is soft, almost to the point of melted, or it will be clumpy. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into the pie shell.

Bake for 55-60 minutes. This is the important part. You DO NOT WANT TO UNDERBAKE. Trust me on this. I've cooked mine for over 75 minutes before. Give the pie a little shake, and if it feels soupy, it's not done. When done, there will be a little jiggle, but it will not have that soupy feel. The top will be very brown, not a golden brown like you would think.

Let cool at least 30 minutes, so it has time to set. Otherwise, it will all goo out when you cut into it. In my humble opinion, it's best with fresh whipped cream on top. Some people like ice cream, and those people are wrong. 

Also, served as breakfast the next morning, after the kids have gone to school, is a close second to the warm goodness of the fresh version.

*You won't find a bigger fan of the homemade pie crust than that this girl right here, but I'm telling you, the kind you get in the freezer works best here. Just make sure it's defrosted before you start or you'll be baking this thing till the cows come home.

Enjoy!