Diet Killers: Recipes for Readers – Whiskey Chocolate Walnut Pie by Molly MacRae

 

Welcome back to Diet Killers, a monthly post where we delve into good stories and books and pair them with indulgent recipes involving chocolate. In this edition we’re confronted with the hard luck story of Jesse Damon, protagonist of KM Rockwood’s five Jesse Damon Crime novels.

We meet Jesse in Steeled for Murder. He’s newly out on parole after serving twenty years in prison on a murder conviction. He’s able to find a basement apartment and a job on the overnight shift at a steel fabrication plant. There he also finds a few people who treat him like anybody else. Especially Kelly, a woman in the shipping department.

Jesse seems to be making it—until a forklift driver on the overnight shift is murdered in the warehouse. Guess who’s the number one suspect?

Author KM Rockwood brings authenticity to her stories and novels through her own experiences. She’s worked as a laborer in a steel fabrication plant, has operated glass melters and related equipment in a fiberglass manufacturing facility, supervised an inmate work crew in a large medium security state prison, and taught special education at an alternative high school and GED classes in county detention facilities.

But back to Jesse. Everything about life on the outside is hard for an ex-con, and after paying the expenses associated with his parole supervision, Jesse is dead broke most of the time. Tuna noodle casserole would be a luxury and most of the time he makes do with oatmeal & peanut butter sandwiches.

Not to make light of this very real situation KM portrays so well, but Jesse needs a lucky break in the culinary department. What he really needs is affordable fresh vegetables and fruits. But this column is about chocolate so here’s something Jesse might appreciate. Maybe he can share it with Kelly.

 

Whiskey Chocolate Walnut Pie

Ingredients

1 9-inch pie crust

3 large eggs lightly beaten

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup butter, melted

3 tablespoons good whiskey (or bourbon)

1 cup chocolate chips (Ghirardelli’s extra dark are fabulous)

2 cups walnut halves or pieces

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit the pie crust into a pie pan, prick the bottom with a fork and set aside.

Combine the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, flour, corn syrup, melted butter, and whiskey in a bowl. Layer the walnuts evenly on the bottom of the crust. Layer the chocolate chips over the nuts. Pour the egg mixture over the nuts and chocolate. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until firm.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and two fingers of whiskey.