Dark Chocolate Walnut Caramel Pie

If you are a chocolate lover, you have to make this pie.  That's it.  Enough said.  Make the pie.

It would be better tho, if you made the pie to take to a get-together at a friend's house.  Why?  Because you have to stop yourself from eating all of it.  It needs to be shared.   I took it to a friend's house for a bbq and watched as everyone dove in and started saying how good it was.
I panicked just a bit, because while I certainly knew I didn't need the whole chocolate pie for myself, I did want one last piece to savor for myself.  Luckily there was exactly one slice left for me when I got home.  

This pie is very rich and very chocolaty and goes well with a nice big glass of cold milk.   Which is, of course, what I poured for myself when I got home alone with the pie.   (The Handyman had gone up to bed and I had it all to myself!  Lucky me!)

As I said, if you are a chocolate pie lover, you gotta make this.  It's not a pudding filling, but more of a soft fudge filling.  It's very, very rich.   I like walnuts, but not everybody does--I think if you left them out of this recipe, tho, it would lose something.  (If you try it without, let me know tho).

This recipe came from  Good Housekeeping's Comfort Food, Fall 2009 magazine.  (Yep, I'm going thru old magazines and getting rid of some)  It was really an easy dessert to make....and I'll be doing it again.

The original recipe says 12 servings from one pie plate--so that lets you know how rich it is.

Dark  Chocolate-Walnut Caramel Pie

1 9-inch frozen deep dish pie shell  (I made my easy  pat in pan pie crust)
2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz semisweet chocolate, cut up
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Thaw and bake pie crust according to package directions.  Let stand 15 minutes or until cool.  (or make your own crust)

In heavy 3-quart saucepan, heat sugar and water on medium-high until sugar dissolves and turns amber in color, 15 minutes, swirling pan occasionally.

Meanwhile, in microwave safe measuring cup, heat 3/4 cup heavy cream in microwave on high 45 seconds or until warm.  Place remaining 1/2 cup cream in refrigerator to keep cold for whipping later.

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in warm cream until a smooth caramel forms  (caramel will stiffen when cream is added )  Stir in chocolate and butter until completely melted.  Stir in vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cup walnuts.  Reserve remaining 1/4 cup walnuts  to sprinkle on top of pie later.

Pour warm chocolate filling into pie shell. Cool 1 hour on wire rack, then cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or until set.

When ready to serve, in medium bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat remaining  cream until soft peaks form.  With metal spatula, spread  whipped cream on top of pie, leaving a 1/2 inch border all around. Sprinkle with reserved walnuts.

Each serving  (12 from one pie plate)  there are about 500 calories.
Enjoy!!