Mini Chocolate Pies

I made Strudel’s pumpkin pie recipe for Christmas dinner and since her pie crust recipe makes two crusts I’ve had a crust sitting in the freezer (told you, I love my freezer) since Christmas that finally found it’s time to be baked.

As I was trying to decide what kind of pie to make, I realized I wanted something bite size and chocolate!  I found this recipe and decided to adapt it into tiny pies!

 

Mini Chocolate Pies

 

makes 12 mini pies

1 pie crust, sectioned into 12 balls

 

1/3 c. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. salt

2 large egg yolks

1 1/2 c. 1% milk

3 1/2 oz ghirardelli 60% cacao chocolate chips, melted

1 T. unsalted butter, softened

1/2 t. vanilla

 

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls and press the 12 balls of dough into 12 spots of a 24 place mini muffin pan.  My pan came with a little wooden press that helps to make little pie crusts.

   

Bake the crusts for about 10 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes in the pan and then remove the crusts from the pan and move them to a cooling rack.

 

While the crusts cool, make the filling by whisking together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and yolks in a small saucepan until combined.  Slowly whisk in the milk and bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat, whisking, then reduce the heat and simmer, whisking, 1 minute (filling will be thick).

 

Force the filling through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.  Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave just until melted and add the vanilla.   Fold the chocolate mixture into the pudding and cover the surface of the filling with plastic wrap and cool completely, about an hour.

 

Place the pudding into a piping bag with a decorating tip of your choice and pipe it into the little crusts.  There will be some pudding left over to eat by the spoonful.

Chill the mini pies or serve immediately.

Posted on January 30, 2012
This entry was posted in baking, brunch, chocolate, desserts, pies and tagged chocolate, egg yolks, mini desserts, pie crust, pudding.