Chocolate Chess Pie

Recipe from Food and Wine magazine

• 1 pie crust (see note below)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Whipped cream, for serving

CRUST: Pie dough, Graham Cracker or Oreo Crust.  All work great with this pie.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Ease the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges decoratively. Prick the crust lightly with a fork. Line the crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Remove the foil and weights and bake for about 5 minutes longer, just until the crust is dry but not browned.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the sugar with the cocoa powder, butter, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla and salt until smooth.
3. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but a little jiggly in the center. Cover the crust with strips of foil halfway through baking. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely before cutting into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.

To make MINI PIES:

• This recipe will make 12 mini pies in a regular sized cupcake/muffin pan. You do not need to par-bake the crusts for mini pies. 
• For pie dough crusts, lightly grease the cupcake tin with non-stick spray or shortening. Cut dough into 3.5-inch circles and gently press into each cavity of the pan.  No need to prick the bottoms of the dough like you would for a full-sized pie.
• For Graham Cracker or Oreo crusts, use cupcake liners in the pan to make it easy to remove the pies for serving. Press crust into each liner. A shot glass works well here.
• Pour filling into each mini pie, approximately 3/4 full.  You don’t have to worry too much about it spilling over, but try not to fill all the way to the top. The filling will puff up while it bakes, and it will settle back down after it cools. 
• Bake for 20 minutes at 350°.  Filling should be set around the edges but still jiggly in the center. 
• Cool completely before serving. I like to cool mine in the fridge before serving, but it’s not required.