Author Sheri Castle, an expert in Appalachian cooking and baking, shares this bourbon-flavored chocolate pie with us. It's a close relative of the classic chess pie, a large and welcoming family of pies standard in home kitchens across the South.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. If you have a baking stone, place it on the oven's center shelf (this will help the pie's bottom crust get crisp and brown).
Roll out and line a 9" deep dish pie pan with the prepared pastry; crimp the edges and refrigerate while assembling the filling.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, honey, sugars, melted butter, bourbon, vinegar, cornmeal, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate.
Pour the filling into the crust-lined pie pan. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is nearly set all the way across. When done, the filling should barely move when jostled: a shimmy, not a slosh. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a rack; the filling will set as it cools. Refrigerate the pie until ready to serve.
To make the whipped cream: Beat the cream and sugar to stiff peaks; fold in the bourbon.
Serve the cooled pie with the whipped cream.
Store any leftover pie in the refrigerator for several days.
