Chocolate Mud Pie with Hazelnuts

Found this recipe in our local newspaper on the day following a recipe request. Haven't tried it myself, but it looks as if it will be fudgy and fabulous!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• Filling

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 6  tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1  cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1  cup granulated sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons  Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped

• Icing

• 6  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6  tablespoons  sifted cocoa powder
• 2  cups  sifted confectioners' sugar
• 6  tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
• 1  tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2  teaspoons  Frangelico or 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Lightly grease a 10.
3. 5" glass or ceramic pie plate and set aside.
4. Put hazelnuts in a skillet over medium heat.
5. Toast 4 minutes, shaking pan occasionally.
6. Set aside to cool slightly, then chop finely.
7. Measure 1/3 cup for filling and 1/2 cup for icing; set aside.
8. For the filling: Sift together flour, cocoa, salt and nutmeg; set aside.
9. Cream butter and granulated sugar until light in color in large mixing bowl, two to three minutes.
10. Add eggs, one at a time at 30 second intervals.
11. On low speed, add Frangelico or vanilla, then dry ingredients.
12. Mix only until blended.
13. Stir cherries and 1/3 cup hazelnuts into batter.
14. Scoop into pie plate and smooth top with back of a spoon.
15. Bake 25 minutes.
16. The center of the pie will be a little shiny and a toothpick inserted in the center should still be slightly moist.
17. Set on a cooling rack.
18. For icing: Melt butter over low heat in heavy 2-quart saucepan.
19. Remove from heat and blend in cocoa powder, confectioner's sugar, condensed milk and corn syrup.
20. Mix as much as possible.
21. Place back on low heat and stir constantly until icing becomes shiny and thin enough to spread.
22. Remove from heat and stir in Frangelico and 1/4 cup of hazelnuts.
23. Spread warm over still-warm pie.
24. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup hazelnuts around edge.
25. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice ream or slightly whipped whipped cream, if desired.