Recipe: Individual Bittersweet Chocolate Nut Pie

Individual Bittersweet Chocolate Nut Pies
Rec.food.cooking/Mark Horne (1999)
Source: Jacque Pepin's Kitchen, Encore with Claudine

Crust:
Five graham crackers (3.5 ounces)
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Tbsp Sugar

Filling:
2/3 cup mixed nuts (I used almonds, although the recipe suggests almonds, hazelnuts and pine nuts), chopped
3.5 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
2 tsp unsalted butter
1 tsp cornstarch
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Place the graham crackers, butter, oil and sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture is finely chopped and starts to come together.

Press the mixture into four ramekins. Divide the chopped nuts among the graham cracker lined ramekins and press on the bottoms and up the sides.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or in the microwave). Add the cornstarch and mix well. Then add the corn syrup and mix well. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Divide the mixture among the
ramekins.

Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until the filling is set but somewhat soft in the middle. Cool to room temperature on a rack before unmolding. Serve at room temp. Can be made a day ahead and then brought to room temperature in an oven before serving.

Notes:

I used only half the amount of sugar in the crust, as I think the crust was too sweet on a previous attempt.

I used a large (Texas-sized) muffin pan, with space for six muffins, instead of ramekins. (I've also made the dish with a regular size muffin pan.)

You may wish to line the ramekins or pan with foil, to make them easier to remove I didn t.

I cooked the muffins for about 20 minutes in the "Texas-size" muffin pan, and in a previous attempt for 15 minutes in a "regular-size" muffin pan.

I've stored the nut pies in the fridge for up to three days, and let them come to room temperature without using an oven.

I still think the filling is a bit too sweet, and will likely reduce the corn syrup next time.