Amya's monsoon pie

contributed by Stephanie L.

Serves 8

1 ready-made pie crust

6 ounces butter, warmed to room temperature
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup cream
4 eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
5 ounces semisweet baking chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup shelled walnuts, chopped 

2 cups heavy cream
1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

1. Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl with a hand mixer until combined.
2. Gradually add eggs and cocoa powder.
3. Melt chocolate and add to the mixture.
4. Add cream, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix well.
5. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake at 325F for 30 minutes. 
6. Remove pie from oven. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top. Return to oven, bake 10 minutes.
7. When pie is set, remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
8. Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Spread on filling. Sprinkle chopped chocolate on top.

 Editor’s notes:
     This recipe is named Stephanie’s daughter, who served as its first taster.
     Compared to the traditional mudpie, walnuts add texture and lemon offsets the intense chocolate flavor.
     On an unrelated note, if a small girl ever asks you what “sewage” means, never say “it’s like poo, but worse”. If you do, you will have to bake a pie very quickly to make it up to her and her mother.