Chocolate Cream Mini Pies

Yep that's right! Its a cupcake size version of one of my favorite pies. The recipe is very similar to my recent Coconut Cream Pie recipe however this time I made a miniature version of a pie shell filled with homemade chocolate custard and heaping with freshly whipped cream. I started with one refrigerated Pillsbury Pie Crust. I rolled it gently with a rolling pin into a round about 1/3 larger than its original size. I then used a pairing knife to cut circles of dough approx 5 inches in diameter. (They don't have to be perfect.) I was able to get 7 or 8 circles total, re-rolling scraps of dough twice. (The fewer times you reroll, the flakier your crust will be so try to maximize your cuts each time.) I then pressed the pastry dough rounds into a muffin tin and pricked them gently with a fork a few times each. The shells baked at 400 degrees for 8-9 minutes. (You are looking for lightly golden brown.) Some pie weights would really help them keep a more uniform shape but I don't have any yet...they are on my wish list yet I keep forgetting about them. I let them cool in the pan. Note: they would easily keep a day or two in an airtight container. I would wait and fill them with the custard the day of or even just before serving to avoid soggy crust.

Chocolate Custard: •2/3 cup sugar •1/4 cup cornstarch •1/2 teaspoon salt •3 large egg yolks •2 cups milk (all I had on hand was skim and it was still delicious, whole milk would be richer) •1/2 cup good quality bittersweet chocolate, melted •1 tablespoon unsalted butter •1 teaspoon vanilla

I whisked the first four ingredients together in a sauce pan and then slowly poured in the milk, whisking well to get rid of any lumps of flour. I then turned the heat to medium and cooked everything together, stirring constantly until it came to a gentle boil. I let it cook about two minutes more until thickened to a pudding-like state and then removed the pan from the heat. I let the custard mixture cool for a second while I put 1/2 cup good quality chocolate into a small glass bowl and microwaved it heat for one minute until it was barely starting to melt. I gave it a quick mix together and then transferred the chocolate into the custard pan along with the butter and vanilla. The heat of the pudding mixture melts everything together into a smooth and creamy custard.

I transferred it to a glass bowl (sneaking a few spoonfuls for myself to be sure it was delicious) and covered with it plastic wrap so that it was laying directly on top of the custard to prevent a "skin" from forming over the top as it cooled. I kept it in the fridge until ready to serve. (You'll want to give it at least 2 hours to cool completely and set up properly.)

I scooped approximately one half cup of custard into each pie shell and then topped with freshly whipped, slightly sweetened cream - grating some of the chocolate over the top as a garnish.

Like a little cup of heaven I tell you.... I really like the mini pie idea.. For those of you that have made cream pies, you know that you risk the filling oozing out all over the plate or the pie dish if the filling is not PERFECTLY set. This avenue is definitely a little bit more forgiving and the presentation is fun and different. Will definitely be experimenting with more mini pies again soon!