A rich chocolate and English-walnut pie in a buttery flaky crust, trademarked by Kern's Kitchen in 1969 and a Louisville Derby Day institution. Local bakeries serve look-alike versions under names like Triple Crown Pie.

Walter and Leaudra Kern, with their son George, developed the chocolate-and-walnut pie at the Melrose Inn in Prospect, Kentucky in 1954 as the restaurant's signature dessert. The family pulled the name out of a hat: Derby-Pie won. After leaving the Melrose Inn in 1960 the Kerns continued making the pie and registered Derby-Pie as a federal trademark in 1969, defending it with more than 25 lawsuits over the years. The pie is now made only by Kern's Kitchen with the secret recipe known to a small group of family members. Louisville bakeries sell look-alike chocolate-walnut pies as 'May Day Pie' or 'Triple Crown Pie'; Plehn's Bakery on Shelbyville Road runs a Triple Crown Pie each Derby season.

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Make it at home

Serves 81 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 store-bought or homemade 23cm pie crust, unbaked
  • 100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 180g granulated sugar
  • 60g plain flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 150g chopped English walnuts
  • 150g semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 30ml Kentucky bourbon (optional)

Method

  1. Heat oven to 175C. Place the unbaked pie crust in a 23cm pie dish.
  2. Whisk melted butter, sugar and flour together until smooth.
  3. Whisk in the beaten eggs, vanilla and bourbon if using.
  4. Stir in the walnuts and chocolate chips.
  5. Pour the filling into the pie crust, spreading the walnuts and chocolate evenly.
  6. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until the top is golden brown and the centre is set.
  7. Cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing. The pie sets fully as it cools.

Editor tip. Use English walnuts (not pecans) and semi-sweet chips. Don't trademark-call this Derby-Pie; the Kern family is litigious. Locals call it 'chocolate-walnut pie'.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Tree nuts.