Mini Chocolate French Silk Pies with Toffee Graham Crust

Attention Chocolate Lovers! Smooth as silk these mini chocolate french silk pies are the bomb and easier than you think to make! Creamy, silky, decadent chocolate French silk pie filling piled atop a crunchy salted toffee graham cracker crust, topped with thick vanilla bean whipped cream, and sprinkled with chocolate curls. These single serving mini pies are perfect for holiday entertaining!

What do you call a pie masquerading as a cupcake? Pie-lets? Cup-pies? Mini-Pies? Pie-cakes? I landed on mini pies, because they aren’t quite a cupcake, not a full pie and due to their demure & portability, thought it made the most sense. But I’m open to any ideas, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

I’ve made this decadent dessert several times now, at the request of family and friends. The original recipe, is not truly a pie either, but instead made in a square pan. However; I was making dessert for a party recently and really wanted individual “grab-and-go” desserts. So I modified the original recipe from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles using a cupcake tin and made them into individual servings.

MAKING THE GRAHAM TOFFEE CRUST (Gluten Free Option)

Preheat your oven to 325°.

In the bowl of a food processor, toss in graham crackers (broken by hand) and pulse until crumbs. Toss in your toffee bits, sugar and salt and pulse until a fine crumb. Gluten free graham crackers may easily be substituted! Pour in melted butter, pulsing until moistened.

NOTE | The first time I made this I was using a rental kitchen, I placed all of the crust ingredients in a gallon sized baggie and crushed them using a wine bottle (as a rolling pin); it worked great! Pour into a bowl and pour in the melted butter, mixing until moistened.

For pie squares press graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of an 8×8 pan. Press down and bake for about 10 minutes.

Individual mini pies, place cupcake liners in cupcake tins (it will make about 16-18, I made a few extra without the crust for my Gluten Free friends).

Using a medium cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon) scoop crumb mixture in bottom of the cupcake liners.

Press down using the bottom of a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a spice jar. Bake for about 8 minutes (mini pies) and 10 minutes for the 8×8 pan.

Remove to cooling rack and cool completely. May place in fridge or freezer if you need to speed up the cooling process.

HOW TO MAKE DECADENT CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIE FILLING

In a small microwave safe bowl, slowly melt your chopped chocolate. Heatin in 30 second increments; stirring in between each heating (the chocolate will continue melting out of the micro), repeat heating and stirring until fully melted.

Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter for 1 minute on medium-high, then scrape down the sides. Add your all-natural cane sugar and cream on medium-high for 3-4 minutes (1-2 minutes if using regular white sugar), scrape down sides once in between.

Pour the (cooled) melted chocolate over the creamed butter and sugar mixture and beat on medium low speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape down sides.

Add vanilla, sea salt and espresso powder; beat until incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl.

Here’s where it gets fun! Grab your room temperature eggs*.

TIP | *If you forgot to bring your eggs to room temperature, when you start the recipe, gently immerse your eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

Switch to your whisk attachment (see TIP), then add one egg at a time and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, yup FIVE minutes per egg! Don’t short change this process, this is what makes the mixture so mouthwatering and silky! Scrape down sides in between each egg addition.

TIP | The first time I made this I only had a hand-held mixer and while my hand got a bit tired from holding it for 20 minutes, the mixture turned out, silky, smooth and perfect!

If making in 8×8 pan spread the silk pie filling into the cooled graham toffee crust, using a spatula spread it evenly.

If making in cupcake pan; using a large cookie scoop, scoop a heaping (about 1/4 cup) of silk pie filling and carefully place on top of the cooled graham mini crusts.

Keep rounded or smooth out the tops, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or more before serving.

Serve with a dollop of vanilla bean whipped cream and garnish with some chocolate shavings.

HOW TO MAKE VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, using a whisk attachment beat whip cream until stiff peaks form. Add 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, continue to beat until thickened, rich and creamy. If desired, scoop into a piping bag or baggie and snip off about 1 inch of the end and swirl onto tops of mini pies.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS OR SHAVINGS

Using a vegetable peeler, starting about half way on the chocolate bar, “peel” away from you applying pressure on the peeler for the size shavings or curls that you want, the heavier the pressure the thicker the curls lighter pressure will yield light shavings.

What yummy things do you make during holiday season? I’d love to hear, comment below the recipe!

SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS RECIPE

Mini Chocolate French Silk Pies with Toffee Graham Crust

Attention Chocolate Lovers! Smooth as silk, mini chocolate french silk pies are the bomb! Creamy, decadent chocolate French silk pie filling atop a buttery salted toffee graham cracker crust, topped with thick vanilla bean whipped cream, sprinkled with chocolate curls. These single serving mini pies are perfect for holiday entertaining!

• Author: Kathleen | The Fresh Cooky
• Prep Time: 15 minutes + 3 hours
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
• Yield: 16 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

GRAHAM TOFFEE CRUST

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about one sleeve of graham crackers, 18 squares) Gluten Free grahams are easily substituted and taste delicious!
• 1 tablespoon all natural cane sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup toffee bits (I used Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits and the Bits ‘O Brickle)
• 5 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted (I’ve used both salted and unsalted butter)

CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIE FILLING

• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Bar), rough chopped
• 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar), rough chopped
• 1 cup butter, softened (I’ve used both salted and unsalted)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• pinch of kosher salt
• 4 large eggs (pasteurized), at room temp*

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipped cream
• 2–3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Instructions

GRAHAM TOFFEE CRUST (Gluten Free Option)

1. Preheat your oven to 325°.
2. In the bowl of a food processor,* toss in graham crackers (roughly broken with hands) and pulse until crumbs. Toss in your toffee bits, sugar and salt and pulse until a fine crumb. Gluten free graham crackers may easily be substituted! Pour in melted butter and pulse until combined.
3. For pie squares press graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of an 8×8 pan. Press down and bake for about 10 minutes.
4. For individual mini pies, place cupcake liners in cupcake tins (it will make about 16-18) You may also make gluten free simply by not putting any crust in the bottoms of the mini pies. 
5. Using a medium cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon) scoop crumb mixture in bottom of the cupcake liners.  Press down using the bottom of a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a spice jar.
6. Bake for about 8 minutes (mini pies) and 10 minutes for the 8×8 pan.
7. Remove to cooling rack and cool completely. May place in fridge or freezer if you need to hurry the cooling process along.

DECADENT FRENCH SILK PIE FILLING

1. In a small microwave safe bowl, slowly melt your chopped chocolate. Heatin in 30 second increments; stirring in between each heating (the chocolate will continue melting out of the micro as you stir), repeat heating and stirring until fully melted. Careful not to scorch your chocolate! Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter for 1 minute on medium-high, then scrape down the sides. Add your all-natural cane sugar and cream on medium-high for 3-4 minutes (1-2 minutes if using regular white sugar), scrape down sides once in between.
3. Pour the (cooled) melted chocolate over the creamed butter and sugar mixture and beat on medium low speed until thoroughly combined. Scrape down sides.
4. Add vanilla, sea salt and espresso powder; beat until incorporated. Scrape sides of bowl.
5. Here’s where it gets fun!  Grab your room temperature eggs**.
6. Switch to your whisk attachment (see TIP***), add one egg at a time and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes each, yup FIVE minutes per egg! Don’t short change this process, this is what makes the mixture so mouthwatering and silky! Scrape down sides in between each egg addition.
7. If making in 8×8 pan spread the silk pie filling into the cooled graham toffee crust, using a spatula spread it evenly.
8. If making in cupcake pan; using a large cookie scoop, scoop a heaping (about 1/4 cup) of silk pie filling and carefully place on top of the cooled graham mini crusts.
9. Keep rounded or smooth out the tops, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or more before serving.
10. Serve with a dollop of vanilla bean whipped cream and garnish with some chocolate shavings.

HOW TO MAKE VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

1. Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, using a whisk attachment beat whip cream until stiff peaks form. Add 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, continue to beat until thickened, rich and creamy.  If desired, scoop into a piping bag or baggie and snip off about 1 inch of the end and swirl onto tops of mini pies.

Notes

*No Food Processor? The first time I made this I wasn’t at home and was using a rental kitchen, I placed all of these items in a gallon sized ziplock baggie and crushed them using a wine bottle (as a rolling pin) and it worked just fine. Pour into a bowl and pour in the melted butter, mixing until moistened.

**TIP | If you forgot to bring your eggs to room temperature, when you start the recipe, gently immerse your eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

***TIP | The first time I made this I only had a hand-held mixer and while my hand got a bit tired from holding it for 20 minutes, the mixture turned out, silky, smooth and perfect!

How to Make Chocolate Shavings or Curls | Using a vegetable peeler, starting about half way on the chocolate bar, “peel” away from you applying pressure on the peeler for the size shavings or curls that you want, the heavier the pressure the thicker the curls lighter pressure will yield light shavings.

Recipe modified from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles

Keywords: Chocolate French Silk Pie, Individual desserts, Graham Toffee Crust, mini pies, mini desserts, decadent, silky, light

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