Bourbon Balls and Derby Pie

So Kentucky has some weird food things, enough that they all warrant their own posts at another time. But a few are Derby related, so here we go.

Bourbon Balls – Now, if you are my one and only avid reader, than you know how obsessed we Kentucky folk are with our bourbon. So why not take bourbon and improve upon it the only way known to man by mixing it with chocolate (heyyyo like the name of this blog) - and the bourbon ball is born. A chocolate candy with the subtle burn of bourbon….yummmm. You can find them all over Louisville and the most popular are the ones made my Maker’s Mark. There were some in the office the other day – don’t mind if I do help myself to seven, choke on one and cause a scene in the kitchen. Totally normal. Choking on one has not deterred my love. As much as I eat them, I have never made them. Here is a pretty good looking recipe. I might try them this week to have some for Derby. I think I would like mine rolled in cocoa powder.

Derby Pie - Now, since I am not Kern's Kitchen, I really should not call it Derby Pie. They wisely trademarked the name ages ago and now everyone else has to call it "Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie" which sounds totally lame compared to Derby Pie. If any restaurant in Louisville wants to serve Derby Pie, they have to serve a Kern's Kitchen Derby Pie. Good thing I am no professional. And my mom just told me they use almonds, not pecans, so this is better.  So CPBP (again, I am not Kern's Kitchen, so I must call it Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie and that is really long to type so I shortened it) is delicious. Notice a trend?? We Kentuckians like to add bourbon to everything and it undoubtedly makes it better. Chocolate Pecan pie - bleh. CPBP - amazing. And you know what makes them better - making them mini. Like babies - smaller = cuter = better. Basic logic. Anyways, my family and I bake up about 140 of these mini pies every Derby and I don't know if we have survived the weekend with any left. They are that good. Anyways, below is the recipe we use and we cut up the pie crust with a biscuit cutter and use mini muffin pans to bake them.

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon (DERBY) Pie
1c. granulated sugar
1/2c. flour
1 stick melted butter
2 eggs
12 oz. chocolate chips
1c. chopped pecans
2 T. Bourbon
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix the sugar and flour.  Melt the butter and allow to cool and then mix with the eggs.  Add flour mixture to egg and butter mixture.  Add the chocolate chips, pecans, bourbon and vanilla.  Pour into a 9" pie shell and bake for 45-60 minutes.  (This is where we cut up the pie crust and make the mini delicious-ness.  Bake for 25 minutes)

If you would like another perspective on Derby bourbon-y foods, this was an interesting article.