Chocolate Mini Pies is a make-ahead, no-bake, and freezer-friendly. Made with real melted chocolate, in French Silk pie style, these pies have a toffee graham cracker crust and are easily made in muffin cups.
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165° C). In the bowl of a food processor,* toss graham crackers (1 ¼ cups) (roughly broken with hands) and pulse until they are medium crumbs. Toss in your toffee bits (¼ cup), sugar (1 TBL) and salt (⅛ tsp) and pulse until a fine crumb. Gluten free graham crackers may easily be substituted! Pour in melted butter (5 ½ TBL) and pulse until combined.
For individual mini pies, place cupcake liners in in muffin tins (it will make about 16-18) 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 ¼ cup measuring cup or a spice jar. Bake for about 8 minutes (mini pies) and 10 minutes for 8x8 pan or shallow pie plate. Remove to cooling rack and cool completely. Place in fridge or freezer if you need to hurry the cooling process along.
French Silk Pie Filling
In a small microwave safe bowl, slowly melt your chopped chocolate (2 oz bittersweet, 2 oz semi-sweet). Heating in 30 second increments; stir 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.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter 1 cup (called creaming) for 1 minute on medium-high, then scrape down the sides. Add powdered sugar (1 ½ cups) and mix well on medium-high for 1-2 minutes, scrape down sides. Pour the cooled chocolate and vanilla (2 tsp) (cooled); beat until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Switch to your whisk attachment (see TIP***), add one egg at a time, and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes each, yes FIVE minutes per egg! Don't shortchange this process, this is what makes the mixture so silky smooth. Scrape sides between each egg addition.
If making in cupcake pan; using a large cookie scoop, scoop a heaping (about ¼ 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.
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer, using a whisk attachment, beat whip heavy cream (1 cup) until stiff peaks form. Add 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, and continue to beat until thickened, rich and creamy. If desired, scoop into a piping bag or baggie, snip off about 1 inch of the end, and swirl onto tops of mini pies.
Notes
*No Food Processor? Place graham crackers in a gallon sized ziplock baggie and crush them using a rolling pin or heavy bottle.Pour into a bowl and pour in the melted butter, mixing until moistened.Gluten-free French Silk Mini Pies | Make a gluten-free pie crust using gluten-free graham crackers, gluten-free cookies or even the new Gluten-free Oreos. Or purchase a gluten-free pastry pie crust dough and blind bake in muffin tins. Or simply just refrigerate portions of the French silk pie batter without the crust. Whole French Silk Pie with Graham Cracker Crust | Press the graham cracker crust into an 8" pie plate or 8x8 inch square baking dish. Bake the crust for 10 minutes and allow to cool completely. Fill with the French Silk pie filling and refrigerate as directed.How to Make French Silk Mini Pies without Eggs
1 ⅓ cups (266 grams) granulated sugar (I like cane sugar)
4 large eggs, room temperature
4 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate and 4 ounces semi-sweet, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, cold
4 teaspoons powdered sugar
Melt the chocolate as directed above, and set aside to cool while you heat the eggs.
Use an electric mixer to beat the whipping cream in a clean bowl until it thickens. Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Place in fridge until ready to use.
Whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs in a small saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture reaches 160°F and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool to just warm, stirring occasionally.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in the cooled chocolate mixture, then beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
Fold whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until just combined and spoon or scoop into the mini pie shells, chill for a minimum of 3 hours, 6 is preferred.
**TIP | To quickly bring eggs to room temp; immerse your eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.How to Make Chocolate Shavings or Curls | Using a vegetable peeler, starting about halfway 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