Chocolate Whiskey Pie

Sometimes, you just have to indulge yourself. And sometimes, you can do that using boxed ingredients rather than making everything from scratch. I'm a big fan of easy desserts that are really tasty, and this one fills the bill quite nicely.

One of the things I love about this pie is how few ingredients it uses and how little time it takes to make. It's certainly not a traditional Irish pie by any stretch of the imagination, but it does go well with a St. Patrick's Day dinner (or any time, really). Neither the whiskey nor the coffee flavours are overwhelming, but both play nicely with the chocolate to create a unique treat.

Other than the pie crust, there isn't anything in there that I don't normally keep on-hand. Chocolate pudding, milk, Jameson, instant coffee, and whipped cream. When I made it this time for the pictures, I used a can of Reddi-Whip, but I've also used Cool Whip and actual whipped cream at various times. The important part is the whiskey. You need a good Irish whiskey for the flavour, so please don't go cheap. It's like cooking with wine... never cook with something you wouldn't drink. Of course if you don't drink you won't know, but trust me on the Jameson.

Chocolate Whiskey Pie

Serves 6

1 (9-inch) chocolate pie crust (ready-made, I use Oreo)
2 boxes (3.4 ounces each) cook-and-serve chocolate pudding mix
3 cups 2% milk
1/4 cup whiskey (preferable Jameson, but any good Irish whiskey will do)
2 tablespoons instant coffee

8 ounces whipped cream

Step 1
In a large saucepan, whisk together pudding, milk, Jameson and coffee.
Step 2
Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it gets thick (about 10 minutes).
Step 3
Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent skin forming.
Step 4
Pour into pie shell and smooth top; cover and refrigerate at least two hours up to two days.
Step 5
Before serving, cover with whipped cream. Sprinkles can be added for a more festive look.

Serving Size: 1 (190.4 g)

Calories 301.4

Total Fat - 13.2 g

Saturated Fat - 5.5 g

Cholesterol - 38.3 mg

Sodium - 390.2 mg

Total Carbohydrate - 37.5 g

Dietary Fiber - 1 g

Sugars - 25.7 g

Protein - 6.6 g

Obviously this isn't something you should eat on a regular basis, especially if you're watching your carbohydrate intake. But an occasional indulgence probably won't hurt too much. And if you're really worried about it, you can always cut it in smaller pieces.