kentucky derby

Biscuits are what take us into the kitchen today to cook: fat, flaky mounds of quick bread, golden brown, with a significant crumb. Composed of flour, baking powder, fat and a liquid, then baked in a hot oven, they are an excellent sop for sorghum syrup, molasses or honey. They are marvelous layered with country ham or smothered in white sausage gravy, with eggs, with grits. Biscuits are easy to make. (A food processor makes easy work of this recipe. If you're looking to buy one, check out <a href="http://thesweethome.com/reviews/the-best-food-processor/">this guide from our colleagues at The Sweethome</a>.)

All-Purpose Biscuits

all-purpose flour,

baking powder

sugar

salt

cold, unsalted butter,

milk

Preheat oven to 425. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl. Transfer to a food processor. Cut butter into pats and add to flour, then pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. (Alternatively, cut butter into flour in the mixing bowl using a fork or a pastry cutter.) Return dough to bowl, add milk and stir with a fork until it forms a rough ball.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat it down into a rough rectangle, about an inch thick. Fold it over and gently pat it down again. Repeat. Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured glass or biscuit cutter. Do not twist cutter when cutting; this crimps the edges of the biscuit and impedes its rise.

Place biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

These portable takes on pie are for nut lovers. The rich crunch of toasted pecans runs through them, from the brown sugar shortbread to the tender praline center. Ground nuts make the cookies both crumbly and crisp. More pecans are packed into the filling, which combines a deep sweetness with the texture of a soft caramel. A candy thermometer helps ensure the filling doesn’t end up saucy or chewy; it runs like lava during assembly, then sets as it cools. You can skip the filling for a batch of buttery cookies, or make it on its own to use as an ice cream topping. The assembled cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days.

Pecan Pie Sandwich Cookies

pecan halves, toasted

unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature

confectioners’ sugar

75 grams packed light brown sugar

fine sea salt

vanilla extract

unsalted butter (1 stick)

220 grams packed light brown sugar

dark corn syrup

bourbon vanilla extract

pecan halves, toasted and finely chopped

Make the cookies: Combine the pecans and 1/2 cup/65 grams flour in a food processor or blender and pulse until the pecans are coarsely ground with pebbly bits remaining.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars and salt on low speed until creamy and smooth. Scrape the bowl and add the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl and add the pecan mixture and remaining 1 1/2 cups/190 grams flour. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Press into four 1/2-inch-thick squares and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

When you’re ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 1 dough square on a generously floured surface and sprinkle with more flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll to a scant 1/4-inch thickness, moving and flouring the dough as needed to prevent sticking. Using a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds as close together as possible and transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet, using a thin spatula if necessary, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.

Gather the scraps, roll and cut again. If desired, cut out a 1-inch circle from half of the cookies using a cookie cutter or the wide end of a pastry tip. If your dough becomes too soft to cut after rolling, pop it in the freezer until firm again.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cool the cookies completely on the sheets on wire racks.

Make the filling: Combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan and clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pot if you have one. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to melt the butter. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until dark brown and thickened to the consistency of caramel sauce, 2 to 4 minutes. The candy thermometer should register 230 degrees. Remove from the heat and carefully add the bourbon. Stir until incorporated, then stir in the pecans until evenly coated.

Flip over half of the cookies. Carefully scoop a tablespoon of the hot filling and scrape it onto a cookie with another spoon. Spread it in an even layer with the spoon and very gently press another cookie on top to sandwich. Flip the sandwich over so the filling can set evenly. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Cool completely.

Rice baked until golden and bubbly with plenty of cream and extra-sharp cheddar cheese.

Cheesy Baked Rice

unsalted butter (1/4 stick),

scallions,

medium yellow onion, finely chopped

garlic cloves, finely chopped

black pepper

ong-grain rice

chicken broth

heavy cream

white cheddar cheese

There’s nothing better than a warm Parker House roll, except maybe one with a salty, seedy everything-bagel topping. While there are a million subtle variations of the classic roll, this recipe keeps the shape simple (just basic rounds) for the most buttery, fluffiest results. You can purchase everything-bagel seasoning in the spice section of some supermarkets, but it’s also easy to make your own.

Everything Parker House Rolls

237 milliliters whole milk

all-purpose flour

dry milk powder

granulated sugar

yeast powder

eggs

sesame seeds

poppy seeds

garlic flakes

onion

(3/4 stick) melted unsalted butter,

Prepare the rolls: In a medium pot, heat the milk and 4 tablespoons butter over medium until the mixture is just warm to the touch (about 95 degrees) and the butter is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the flour, milk powder, sugar, yeast and salt with 1 egg and the warmed milk mixture. Mix on low for 3 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours. The dough may not double in size, but it should be noticeably puffy.

Divide the dough into 12 even pieces (about 71 grams each). Gently round into balls: Cup your hand and fingers around a piece of dough then roll it on your work surface until it forms a tight ball. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

In a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch pan, arrange the balls in three rows of four. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until noticeably puffy, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the everything-bagel seasoning: Toss together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and kosher salt.

In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Brush the surface of each roll with the beaten egg and sprinkle each generously with everything-bagel seasoning (about 2 teaspoons per roll).

Bake the rolls for 10 minutes, then brush the surface of the rolls generously with the melted butter. Bake until the rolls are evenly golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush the baked rolls generously with the remaining melted butter. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Store leftover rolls at room temperature in a resealable plastic bag. (See tip for reheating instructions).

Plain shortbread, a combination of the most basic ingredients in the baker’s pantry, is an understated sweet, but millionaire’s shortbread is a spectacle. It’s a flashy cookie, topped with swoops of chocolate and chewy caramel made from condensed milk, butter and Lyle’s Golden Syrup. A British confection made from cane sugar, Lyle’s is found near the honey and maple syrup in any well-stocked supermarket, but if you can't find it, corn syrup makes a fine, if slightly less flavorful, substitute.

Millionaire’S Shortbread

unsalted butter

sweetened condensed milk

unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

Lyle’s Golden Syrup or light corn syrup

semisweet chocolate, chopped

Millionaire’s Shortbread

Make the shortbread layer: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour and salt, and beat on low just until the mixture is evenly combined and the texture of coarse sand.

Tip mixture into prepared pan, and press down firmly into an even layer. Bake until top is dry and light golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Make the caramel layer: In a medium saucepan, combine condensed milk, butter, Golden Syrup and salt. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until it has thickened and changed from a milky yellow color to the color of butterscotch pudding, 10 to 20 minutes. It should read 220 degrees to 225 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Adjust the heat as necessary to keep the bottom from scorching. Stir in vanilla extract. Immediately pour the caramel over the baked crust and spread it into an even layer.

Prepare the chocolate: In the microwave or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate in short bursts, stirring often. Spread melted chocolate in an even layer over caramel. Chill until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. To serve, cut the parchment-free sides away from the pan with a sharp knife, then transfer the shortbread to a cutting board using the parchment overhang. Cut into 32 small bars.

Depending on where you live, these chocolate and peanut-butter confections are known as either peanut butter balls or buckeyes. In the Midwest, they are known as buckeyes because they look like the nut of a buckeye tree, thanks to an exposed circle of peanut butter that's left after they're dipped in chocolate. Be sure to start with a good-quality peanut butter, and don’t skimp on the salt. Those small touches carry a lot of impact.

Peanut Butter Balls

sweetened, smooth peanut butter

unsalted butter, melted

semisweet chocolate

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until smooth and uniform, about 1 minute.

Portion the mixture into 1 tablespoon balls. Roll the balls into neat circles between your palms. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.

A few minutes before the balls are done chilling, prepare the chocolate. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in short bursts, stirring often. If chocolate becomes too thick during the dipping process, it can be liquified again in the microwave.

Use a toothpick to skewer one ball at a time, and dip it into the melted chocolate, leaving a small circle of the peanut butter mixture exposed at the top and allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Transfer buckeyes to the prepared baking sheet and remove the toothpick. Repeat with the remaining balls, returning them to the freezer for a few minutes if they become too soft to work with. Smooth over the holes left by the toothpick with a small offset spatula or your finger. Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.

These flavorful stuffed mushrooms come together quickly, which makes them great for entertaining. Crunchy panko bread crumbs, instead of the traditional sort, are combined with salty cheese, parsley and garlic, then spooned into mushroom caps and baked until crisp and golden. You can assemble them through Step 2 a few days in advance and pop them into the oven minutes before guests arrive. Pro tip: Don’t throw away the mushroom stems. Freeze them to add to your next pot of stock for unbeatable richness.

Stuffed Mushrooms With Panko and Pecorino

panko bread crumbs

Pecorino

Italian parsley,

garlic cloves, pressed with a garlic press or grated

olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

mushrooms

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix the panko bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons parsley,garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir to evenly coat the bread crumbs. Taste and then season with salt and pepper. (You might not even want any salt, as the cheese can be pretty salty.)

Arrange the mushrooms on the sheet pan, top sides down. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Using a spoon, divide the seasoned breadcrumb mixture among the mushrooms (about 1 tablespoon per mushroom).

Drizzle the mushrooms with the remaining olive oil and transfer to the oven and bake until the tops are crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve warm.

Creamier than a classic potato salad, and chunkier and zestier than regular mashed potatoes, this hybrid dish can be served warm or at room temperature, when its texture is at its softest and best. (Never serve this cold; no one likes cold mashed potatoes.) The key to getting the right texture is to cook the potatoes a little more than you would for potato salad, but not so much that they completely fall apart. You are looking for chunks of potatoes coated in a fluffy layer of highly seasoned mashed potatoes. Potato salads tend to absorb their seasonings as they sit, so for the most flavorful dish, be prepared to add more salt, lemon juice and olive oil to taste just before serving.

Mashed Potato Salad With Scallions and Herbs

red potatoes,

rosemary

fine sea salt, more as needed

hot sauce,

extra-virgin olive oil,

sour cream

Dijon mustard

scallions

parsley

basil

Cook the potatoes in a pot of well-salted water until they are very tender but not mushy, 15 to 22 minutes. Drain well.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, pepper and hot sauce. When the salt is dissolved, whisk in the olive oil, mayonnaise and mustard.

Add potatoes to the bowl and mix them very well, until well coated with dressing. Then use the spoon to mash about a quarter of them. You want 1-inch (or so) chunks of potatoes coated in some mashed potatoes. Add scallions and parsley and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice, hot sauce and olive oil, if needed. Scatter chopped basil or dill over dressed potatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature, but not cold.

Ethereal and ready to melt in your mouth, chocolate mousse bars are easy to make and even easier to eat. With so few ingredients, it’s important to use a chocolate you would be perfectly happy to snack out of hand. The instant espresso powder is optional but adds depth to this simple dessert. To cut beautiful, neat slices, use a long sharp knife warmed in hot water and wiped clean before each cut.

No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars

graham crackers (about 9 1/2 ounces 269 grams)

unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

heavy cream,

espresso powder

Whipped cream (optional)

Make the crust: Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. In a food processor, or in a resealable plastic bag, crush the graham crackers until you have fine crumbs (but stop before you have dust). You should have about 2 1/4 cups. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl. Add the butter, sugar and salt and stir until evenly moistened. Tip the crumbs into the prepared pan and press them down into an even layer on the bottom. Transfer to the freezer while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling: Set the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup cream, espresso powder and salt until hot but not boiling. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let it stand for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the remaining 2 cups heavy cream until you have stiff peaks. Add the chocolate mixture and gently fold to combine. Pour the mixture over the prepared crust, and spread it out into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. To serve, cut the two edges without parchment free with a sharp knife then use the parchment overhang to transfer the bar to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

This recipe came to The Times from Marti Buckley Kilpatrick, who adapted it from Dol Miles, the pastry chef at Frank Stitt’s Bottega restaurant in Birmingham, Ala. Ms. Kilpatrick describes the cake as an ugly frog of a confection, but promises that anyone willing to bet a kiss on its excellence would be amply rewarded. The interplay of coffee, black pepper and cloves is subtle but powerful, and results in a deeply flavored, moist confection that comes together quickly. It’s just delicious.

Chocolate Whiskey Cake

unsalted butter,

unsweetened cocoa powder (about 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

coffee

Irish whiskey

granulated sugar (about 1 cup)

light brown sugar (about 1 cup)

all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)

baking soda (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)

fine sea salt (about 3/4 teaspoon)

cloves

mini semisweet chocolate chips

Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10-inch springform pan. Dust with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm coffee, Irish whiskey, 12 tablespoons butter and remaining cocoa powder, whisking occasionally, until butter is melted. Whisk in sugars until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and cloves. In another bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Slowly whisk egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Add dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Transfer to oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, then remove sides of pan. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if you like.

This tender poundcake has slivers of vanilla-poached rhubarb running across the top and shot through the center, adding a tangy sweetness to the buttery crumb. For the most vivid stripes, use the reddest rhubarb stalks you can find. They will fade to hot pink after poaching and baking. Green rhubarb also works; the cake won’t be quite as striking, but it will be equally delectable. This cake is best served within a day of baking. After that, the rhubarb will start to dry out.

Rhubarb Poundcake

rhubarb stalks (about 3 to 4 large stalks)

vanilla

cake flour,

eggs,

Cut rhubarb stalks to fit crosswise inside the top of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. (They should be about 5 inches, but they could also be a little less.) You’ll need enough rhubarb to cover the top of the cake in the loaf pan, plus a few extra pieces in case any split during poaching.

In a medium pot, combine sugar, 1 cup water and the vanilla bean and seeds, and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Stir in rhubarb, simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, then slice rhubarb in half lengthwise so you have long, thin pieces. Reserve poaching liquid.

Heat oven to 350 degrees, and butter and flour the loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. Beat in half the flour mixture until just combined, then beat in milk mixture until barely combined, scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in remaining flour mixture until just combined.

Scrape half the batter into prepared pan, then lay half of the rhubarb slices in an even layer on top of the batter. Cover with remaining batter, smoothing the top.

Bake cake for 20 minutes to set the top, then remove pan from the oven and quickly lay the remaining rhubarb slices next to each other on the top of cake. Return pan to oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean, another 30 to 50 minutes.

While cake is baking, bring rhubarb-poaching liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer; continue to simmer until thickened and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Brush some syrup on top of cake once it comes out of the oven. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack before serving, at least 2 hours, then carefully remove the cake from the pan and serve.

Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake is a wonderfully moist and buttery cake. Once baked, the cake is drizzled with a sugary bourbon glaze. It&#039;s like a bourbon version of rum cake. Perfect for celebrating Derby Day.

Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake

unsalted butter, softened

baking soda

buttermilk

bourbon

water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with baking spray with flour.

Using an electric stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed just until incorporated. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times.

Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with buttermilk and beating on low speed just until incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes.

During the last 10 minutes that the cake is baking, make the glaze. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved.

When cake is done, remove it from the oven and poke holes in the top. Slowly pour half the glaze over the cake, letting it seep down into the holes.

Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes and then invert onto a cake stand or serving platter.

Drizzle cake with remaining glaze.

Some say that a Key lime’s juice is slightly more floral than that of its more well-known cousin, the Persian lime, the kind you can find in every supermarket and corner deli. Key limes are hard to find, though, so use bottled Key lime juice or conventional lime juice in this easy recipe that's great for a crowd.

Key Lime Pie Bars With Vanilla Wafer Crust

(11-ounce) box vanilla wafers

420 milliliters condensed milk

lime

lime zest

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. In a food processor, combine vanilla wafers and sugar, and pulse until you have fine crumbs. Add butter and process until evenly moistened. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press it down into an even layer. Bake until fragrant and a shade darker, 15 to 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice and lime zest.

Pour filling over crust (it’s O.K. if it’s still warm) and bake until the filling is set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Use a sharp knife to release edges. Using the parchment overhang, carefully lift and transfer the bar to a cutting board. Just before serving, whip heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form. Top bars with whipped cream and cut into 16 squares to serve.

Mississippi mud pies come in all shapes and sizes: No two are exactly alike. They can have one layer, or five, and include ice cream or meringue, a flourless cake, nuts, fudge sauce and even brownie. This version, inspired by the towering beauty made by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked in Brooklyn and written about in their book, "Baked Explorations," features a graham cracker base, a dense brownie, chocolate custard and whipped cream. Needless to say, a little goes a long way. Share it with 16 to 32 of your closest friends. And a tip for serving: To ensure a clean release, give the underside and sides of the cake pan a 10-second blast with a hairdryer.

Mississippi Mud Pie

graham crackers

(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

bittersweet chocolate, chopped

dark brown sugar

Dutch-processed cocoa powder,

Dutch-processed cocoa powder

cornstarch

480 milliliters whole milk

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, grind the graham crackers to fine crumbs — you should have about 2 1/4 cups crumbs — and tip into a bowl. Add sugar, salt and butter, and toss until evenly moistened. Tip the crumb mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Use your fingers to press the crumbs into a thin, even layer on the bottom of the pan and at least 2 1/4 inches up its sides. Bake the crust until just set, about 10 minutes. (The crust will continue to cook in the next step.) Increase heat to 350 degrees.

Prepare the cake: In a bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water but not touching it, melt together the butter and chocolate. (Alternatively, do this in short bursts in the microwave but be careful not to scorch the chocolate.) Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the dark brown sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the 3 large egg yolks.

In large bowl, beat the remaining 3 large egg whites with an electric mixer on medium until foamy, about 30 seconds. While mixing, gradually add the granulated sugar in a steady stream. Increase the mixer speed to high and continue to beat until you have stiff peaks, about 3 minutes. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the egg-white mixture evenly into the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour evenly over the chocolate mixture and fold it in. Transfer the batter to the prepared crust and smooth the top. Bake until a crust has formed over the top, the center is just set and a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edges comes out with moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. The center of the cake, under the crust, should still be very moist and fudgy. (Peek under the crust if necessary.) Do not overbake. The cake will sink slightly as it cools. Let the cake cool completely, at least 90 minutes.

Prepare the custard: Set the chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and set it aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and cornstarch. Add the milk, little by little, while whisking to incorporate it fully. Whisk in the egg yolks. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it has thickened and just come to a low boil. Continue to cook the custard, whisking, for another minute, then immediately pour it into the sieve, pushing it through with a small spatula. Let the custard stand for 1 minute, then whisk it together with the butter and chocolate until smooth. Pour the custard over the cooled cake. Cover the custard with plastic wrap or wax paper, making sure to press it gently into the surface of the custard. Chill until the custard has set completely, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Just before serving, remove the ring from springform pan base and transfer pie to a serving plate. Whip the cream to soft peaks and spoon high dollops over the top of the pie, leaving about a 1-inch border. Dust with cocoa powder.

Chocolate wafers may be standard, but a buttery Oreo crumb crust is an even better base for this chocolate cream pie. A store-bought cookie crust filled with from-scratch custard is the perfect combination of simple and sophisticated, with a bit of nostalgia for good measure. Depending on the size of your pie plate, you may have some custard left over after filling the crust: It’s a perfect baker’s treat.

Top 23 kentucky derby recipes from across the web

The most viewed kentucky derby recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

All-Purpose Biscuits

Pecan Pie Sandwich Cookies

Cheesy Baked Rice

Everything Parker House Rolls

Millionaire’S Shortbread

Peanut Butter Balls

Stuffed Mushrooms With Panko and Pe...

Mashed Potato Salad With Scallions ...

No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars

Chocolate Whiskey Cake

Rhubarb Poundcake

Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake

Key Lime Pie Bars With Vanilla Wafe...

Mississippi Mud Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie With Oreo Crust

Hot Brown

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Pie

Blueberry Pie Bars

East 62nd Street Lemon Cake

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Salty Peanut-Pretzel Ice Cream Cake

Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pie

Mint Julep Party Pitcher

Top 23 kentucky derby recipes from across the web

The most viewed kentucky derby recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

All-Purpose Biscuits

Pecan Pie Sandwich Cookies

Cheesy Baked Rice

Everything Parker House Rolls

Millionaire’S Shortbread

Peanut Butter Balls

Stuffed Mushrooms With Panko and Pe...

Mashed Potato Salad With Scallions ...

No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars

Chocolate Whiskey Cake

Rhubarb Poundcake

Kentucky Bourbon Butter Cake

Key Lime Pie Bars With Vanilla Wafe...

Mississippi Mud Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie With Oreo Crust

Hot Brown

Vegan Mexican Chocolate Pie

Blueberry Pie Bars

East 62nd Street Lemon Cake

Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Salty Peanut-Pretzel Ice Cream Cake

Vegan Chocolate Pudding Pie

Mint Julep Party Pitcher

The most viewed kentucky derby recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine