Mini Chocolate French Silk Pies

Mini Chocolate French Silk Pie

This is  a way I can make my favorite dessert and easily portion control it.  Given a whole pie (or at least half of a pie), I will eat and eat, one forkful at a time throughout a day or two, until there is one bite left in the pan, and then the guilt hits.  So, by using the mini cheesecake pan, I know I should only eat one little "cake" at a time/a day.  
This is only the second time I've used this pan (first time was for mini rainbow cheesecakes).  When it was time to remove my little silk pies from the pan, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was.
If you're interested in making a full pie version, that uses twice the ingredients, you can use my Chocolate French Silk Pie recipe, which was adapted from allrecipes.com.


Mini Chocolate French Silk Pie

Ingredients
Crust:
(NOTE: you can also just buy a premade Oreo crust at the grocery store.)

• 15 Oreo cookies, filling removed (or 3/4 cup Oreo chocolate cookie crumbs)
• 2 Tablesppons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup white C & H sugar
• 21unwrapped Dove Dark Chocolate Promises (about 6 ounces)
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

Topping:

• Whipped cream (optional)

Special Equipment

• Non-Stick Mini Cheesecake Pan
• 2 gallon-sized zip-top bags

Instructions
Place Oreo cookies (filling removed) into a gallon size zip top bag.  Crush cookies thoroughly with a rolling pin.  Put 1/4 cup Oreo crumbs to the side.  Pour melted butter into bag with crumbs and smoosh around until butter is incorporated.  Place 1 tablespoon of mixture into each cup of the cheesecake pan.  Use end of thin rolling pin or other flat-bottomed tool that will fit, to press crumb mixture firmly.

In a double boiler, melt Dove Promises about 2/3 of the way. Remove top of double boiler and continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Set aside to cool further.
Cream butter. Gradually add sugar, creaming well. Blend in melted and cooled chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 4 minutes after each addition with an electric mixer on medium speed. Scrape mixture into gallon-sized zip-top bag.  Snip a half inch off one corner and "pipe" filling into individual cups on top of crust.  Smooth over with a small spoon or spatula.  Sprinkle about half a teaspoon of reserved Oreo crumbs over the top of each "pie."  Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours).


Once completely chilled, remove individual pies by pushing up from the bottom.  Remove to a serving plate. 

Garnish with whipped cream and serve immediately.