Esta's Kitchen: Dark Chocolate Beer Pie

By: Esta Buchanan, June 8, 2012

When I first started writing this column about a week ago, it had a very different beginning.

In broad strokes and poignant turns of phrase, it related my desire for dark ninjas with dark chocolate beer pie. It was going to be epic. Side note: EPIC is a word you should always associate with me.

But then something rather painful happened to me this week, and suddenly writing about ninjas was too difficult. So instead, we are gonna talk about why chocolate (and beer) solves all the worlds’ problems.

In my family we have a saying: “When the world ends...make chocolate chip cookies.” Needless to say, we’ve made a lot of them over the years.

For a while, the kids would come home to the smell of freshly baked cookies and immediately ask, “What happened?”  Cookies didn’t solve the problems; they just made us feel better.  Because sometimes in life, there is no explanation for the rejection, or pain, or confusion that we all go through... there is only chocolate.

And beer.

Yes, I’m suggesting that you all eat through your pain. Yes, I’m sure some expert out there will tell you that this is a bad decision and you will cause yourself more harm in the long run. But to this I say, who knows, who cares, just drink your shot.

In my defense, I’m also suggesting you drink through it as well. Really, life is all about balance.

Biscoff n' beer to the rescue

The exciting thing about this pie (besides its ability to make you forget your problems) is the beer I used. One of my cousins, Clara, and her esteemed hubby, Darron, started making their own brew and sent me some. I come from a very large family, and therefore have a lot of cousins. But I can honestly say Clara (or Claraboo as I like to call her) is the only one who has hit me in the face during her sleep. I still carry the emotional scars.

Needless to say, the beer was fantastic and it paired nicely with the dark chocolate in this recipe. Other kinds of beer that would taste good in this recipe are fruity beers, or perhaps something brewed with nuts.

I was feeling sassy about crusts, so instead of boring ole graham crackers I decided to use Biscoff Cookies. If you’ve never had Biscoff Cookies, then I feel sorry for you. They are the perfect “coffee-dipping” cookie, or just munching cookie, or “roll around naked in” cookie.

You could use whatever kind of cookie you want in this pie, but the Biscoff adds a uniquely buttery, cinnamony richness to the crust.

Now, if you will all excuse me, there is a gallon of ice cream in my freezer that needs to be consumed and I believe its time to change out my sweatpants... these ones are getting rather ripe.

Oh... and one more thing before I go... make sure you drink the unused beer. It’ll help with your issues.

PS. There are some exciting things happening in the writing world of EB (that’s me)! Check out my Facebook page for all the updates. And if you aren’t friends with Esta’s Kitchen on The Book...then why the heck not!?