June Bug Pie recipe from The Red Rocker Inn

June Bug Pie is the dessert of the month at the Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain. “Straight from the screen door to your plate, with a brief stop in the Red Rocker’s kitchen,” the historic inn says of the pie.

June Bug Pie

1 unbaked pie crust

1 cup salted peanuts

½ cup caramel topping (or use the inn’s recipe below)

1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 pound cream cheese

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Toasted chopped pecans or peanuts and whipped cream to garnish

Sprinkle the salted peanuts on the bottom of the unbaked pie crust. Pour the caramel topping over the peanuts.

Melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk together in the microwave. Pour ½ cup of this fudgy mixture over the caramel (this amount of fudge sauce makes enough for two pies).

Mix the eggs, cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Pour over the fudgy layer.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes or until done. Let cool for one hour and pour the remainder of the fudge over the top. (You should have half the fudge left for another pie.)

Chill until firm before cutting. Garnish each piece with a swirl of whipped cream, a drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of toasted chopped pecans or peanuts.

Caramel Sauce

½ cup butter

2 cups packed light brown sugar

24 marshmallows

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 can evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

Combine the butter, light brown sugar, marshmallows and light corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute.

Remove from the stove and immediately add the evaporated milk, vanilla and salt. Stir well and allow to cool.

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The Black Mountain News wants to celebrate the wonderful cooks in the Swannanoa Valley by listing a recipe or two each week or so. If you’d like to nominate someone (or yourself), send an email titled Your Recipes to editor Paul Clark at paul@blackmountainnews.com. Include the recipe, a line or two about you (where in the Valley do you live, who do you cook for?) and maybe a 2 megabyte photo of the dish and a photo of yourself as well (the last is by no means required).