Mini Espresso Cream Pies

Do you have any vices?  I have one vice that I can think of that I just can’t seem to kick.  Coffee.  Honestly, I have not given kicking the habit a fair attempt but when I do try to stop drinking coffee my senses go into a hyper sensitivity.  I get really terrible headaches, feel nauseous, and I become very irritable.  It is far easier to continue drinking coffee rather than enduring the physical effects of detoxing.  I have not given up though, one day I will cut it out completely until then I keep my consumption to a cup a day.  I do love my coffee 🙂

Espresso lovers take notice!  This Mini Espresso Cream Pie recipe takes a velvety smooth coffee flavored filling and combines it with a sweet and crumbly chocolate wafer crust. And as if that weren’t enough, it is garnished with lightly sweetened whipped cream and topped with chocolate covered espresso beans. Absolutely delightful and the epitome of comfort food.  These wee pies would do great as an afternoon pick me up 🙂  These mini pies or tarts as some call them are incredible!  Mini pies or tarts are an elegant desserts to serve while entertaining.   I always find that individual tarts or mini pies are a dessert that everyone welcomes, although I know that making them can be a little time consuming and tedious. One way to reduce the work is to use simple crumb crusts, as it is the easiest crust to make yet still packed with flavor.

Mini Espresso Cream Pies
Ingredients For the Crust

    1 1/2 cups chocolate wafers (about 28 wafers), finely ground
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar

Ingredients For the Filling

        3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup dark-chocolate-covered espresso beans
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar

To Prepare the Crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse ground chocolate wafers, butter, and sugar in a food processor until well combined.
Pat mixture into 8 ~ 4-inch tart shells, pressing firmly into bottom and up sides. Bake until crust is fragrant and darkens slightly, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

To Prepare The Filling

Combine granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and 2 tablespoons espresso powder, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 7 minutes total (about 2 minutes after it comes to a boil).
Whisk yolks in a medium bowl until combined. Pour in milk mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking until completely incorporated. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it returns to a boil, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in coffee liqueur and vanilla. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until butter melts before adding next piece. Let custard cool in saucepan on a wire rack, whisking occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
Pour custard into chocolate-wafer crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of custard. Refrigerate until custard filling is chilled and firm, at least 4 hours (or overnight).
With a flat side of a chef’s knife, crush espresso beans, 1 at a time. Reserve 1 tablespoon larger espresso-bean pieces.
Whisk together cream, and sugar until stiff peaks form.  Place a dollop of whipping cream a top each mini pie and place a chocolate covered espresso bean on top.  Serve immediately.

Makes 8 ~ 4-inch Mini Pies (otherwise known as tarts)
Source Martha Stewart

If you are looking for a delicious dessert that is flavored with espresso this is it!  This dessert would be perfect with a cup of coffee after a flavorful meal.

From our kitchen to yours,
Sydney Jones