Easy Chocolate Mini Pies Recipe (French Silk)
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5
Easy Chocolate Mini Pies Recipe (French Silk)
Description
Easy Chocolate Mini Pies combine a buttery graham cracker crust with the sweet crunch of toffee bits, baked briefly to hold together in mini pie form. The filling is a classic French silk pie mixture, made by melting a combination of bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate and blending it with softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, optional espresso powder, and pasteurized eggs heated to a safe temperature. This mixture is then cooled and whipped to a fluffy consistency before folding in homemade vanilla bean whipped cream. The resulting texture is light and creamy, with a rich chocolate taste tempered by the velvety whipped cream. The mini pies set best when chilled for several hours or overnight, enabling easy serving and neat portions. They can be made with gluten-free graham crackers or served as filling without the crust if desired.
These mini pies offer an elegant dessert option that highlights classic French silk chocolate filling inside a crunchy toffee crust. Preparing the crust in muffin tins lined with cupcake liners aids in ease of removal and presentation. The pie filling techniques, including warming the eggs with sugar to 160°F for safety and gradually folding whipped cream, are essential to achieve the signature creamy silkiness of the dessert. The addition of an espresso powder adds a subtle depth to the chocolate flavor. Ideal for special occasions or any time a refined small dessert is desired.
For efficient preparation, a food processor is helpful to create the crust crumbs but can be substituted by manual crushing. The pies best chill for at least 3 hours but benefit from longer refrigeration for optimal texture. Using pasteurized eggs reduces food safety risks. These mini pies store well in the refrigerator and make a visually appealing treat for gatherings due to their size and rich filling.
Ingredients
Mini Graham Cracker Pie Crusts
- 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 cane sugar white sugar is fine
- 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)
French Silk Pie Filling (see notes for how to make without raw eggs)
- 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 (salted or unsalted work)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder optional, but so good
- pinch kosher salt
- 4 large egg pasteurized, at room temp
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream whipped
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Instructions
GRAHAM TOFFEE CRUST (Gluten-Free Option)
- 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 1/4 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 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.
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
- If you do not have a food processor, crush graham crackers in a sealed bag with a rolling pin, then mix with melted butter to form the crust.
- Pasteurized eggs help maintain safety in the French silk filling; if unavailable, consider alternatives or omit eggs following safe methods.
- For gluten-free crusts, substitute regular graham crackers with gluten-free versions or use gluten-free cookie crumbs.
- Prepare crusts in cupcake liners placed in muffin tins for easy removal of mini pies after baking and chilling.
- Chill filled pies for at least 3 hours, preferably 6, to allow filling to fully set and develop texture.
- Espresso powder in the filling enhances chocolate flavor but is optional.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16-18 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 292 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 292kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 92mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 207mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 79mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 588IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 0.01mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 23mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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