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Dessert

Kentucky Derby Pie

A bourbon, pecan, and chocolate filling baked in a pie shell.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 8 ingredients
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Why it works: Pecans and chocolate work together. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 804 recipes. Both carry 2,3-pentanedione, which smells butter, sweet. The science ↓

Kentucky Derby Pie

Oven350°F
Timeapproximately 45 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Make the filling

  1. Combine the eggs, sugar, melted butter and bourbon.

  2. Add the cornstarch to the mixture, blending in slowly.

  3. Stir in the pecans and chocolate bits.

Bake

  1. Pour into an unbaked 9 inch pie shell.

  2. Bake in a pre‑heated 350°F oven for approximately 45 minutes.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

1035Calories
23 gProtein
47 gFat
129 gCarbs

Counts 6 of 7 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 6 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Flour1 cup (125g) all-purpose455
Pecans1 oz (28g / ~19 halves)196
Chocolate1 oz (28g) semisweet155
Butter1 tbsp (14g)102
Egg1 large egg (50g)78
Sugar1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated49
Pienot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Pecans + chocolatetop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together804 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).

  2. Butter + pecanstop 11% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together2,416 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,3-pentanedione (butter, sweet).

  3. Sugar + chocolatetop 13% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together15,404 recipes

    Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).

  4. Butter + chocolatetop 16% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together10,543 recipes

    Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).

  5. Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together118,967 recipes

    Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Eggs
Bind the filling and help it set into a custard-like texture as it bakes.
Butter
Adds richness and fat, giving the filling a tender, smooth texture.
Cornstarch
Thickens the liquid filling so it sets firmly rather than running.
Pecans
Add crunch and toasty flavor that contrasts with the soft filling.
Chocolate bits
Melt during baking, adding richness and pockets of sweetness throughout the pie.

The step that matters

Blend in the cornstarch slowly. Adding cornstarch gradually and mixing well prevents lumps, so it disperses evenly and thickens the filling uniformly as it bakes.

Swap the pecans

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, sugar, butter, chocolate):

  1. Pecansthe original
  2. Almondfits about as well
  3. Hazelnutfits less well
  4. Peanutfits less well

Fit is the average pairing score against egg, sugar, butter, chocolate. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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