Momofuku Crack Pie in Miniature, My Version

I don't have an especially pronounced sweet-tooth; I am much more inclined to reach for something salty and crunchy or savory than run for a piece of cake or a handful of cookies, but I'm always interested in what tastes good. After hearing all the web-hubbub about the Crack Pie from Momofuku Milk Bar, I figured I had to check it out.

The recipe cited by the L.A. Times uses an oatmeal-cookie base for the shell, but to suit my taste, I knew I had to use a less-sweet crust, so I made a tartlet shell out of bittersweet chocolate and walnuts. I also am only baking for 1, so I halved, then quartered, then eighthed the recipe and adjusted it a bit and ended up with 2 miniature tarts.

The end result was total indulgent deliciousness, especially after it had been refrigerated overnight (and devoured for breakfast on this Post-Rapture Sunday), though my idea of food whose addictive qualities borders on crack is still going to be something on the order of a bowl of fresh guacamole with homemade tortilla chips or a big mess of cooked potatoes.

The filling is a lot like a pecan pie filling, minus the pecans, or like some chess pies I've had. Very silky when eaten warm; dense and smooth when cold. I am pretty sure that my kids will love these when I make them again, though I may have to sweeten the crust a bit for them since they are not as enamored of dark chocolate as I am.

Crack Pies in Miniature

makes 2 mini tarts

Ingredients:

For the tart shell

• 1/4 cup flour
• 3 T walnuts
• 2 T confectioner's sugar
• 1 T unsweetened cocoa
• 1 T espresso powder
• 2 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in. cubes
• 1 yolk

For the filling

• 3 T brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 t powdered milk
• 4 T unsalted butter, melted
• 1-1/2 T heavy cream
• splash of vanilla extract
• splash of bourbon
• 2 yolks

Directions:

Make the tart shell

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In the food processor, pulse the walnuts, flour, confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder until the nuts are finely ground.
3. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of coarse crumbs.
4. Add the yolk and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
5. Divide the dough into 2 pieces.
6. Spray 2 miniature tart pans with cooking spray and pat the dough into the pans. This is a very sticky dough, so I dipped my fingers in a bit of flour first.
7. Press some non-stick foil into the pans over the top of the crust and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Take out the pans and let cool.
9. Lower heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make the filling:

1. Whisk together the brown sugar, milk powder and salt, making sure that there are no clumps.
2. Add the melted butter and cream and stir until all the dry ingredients have dissolved.
3. Whisk in the egg yolks and stir to combine, but don't over-beat the mixture.
4. Pour into crusts and place the pans into a roasting pan and pour in boiling water until it's about halfway up the outside of the tart pans.* (See Notes)
5. Bake for 12 minutes, then lower heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake another 8 minutes or until the center has just set. It should still be jiggly.
6. Take out and let cool. Chill in the fridge, even better.
7. When you're ready to serve it, sift confectioners sugar over the top.

Notes:

• My tart pans are the kind with removable disc-bottoms, so since they're n a water bath, it is important to wrap the outsides with foil so that none of the water seeps in. If you have 1-piece tart pans then there is no need to wrap them. I made the mistake once of baking a cheesecake in a springform pan without wrapping the pan before putting it into the water bath.
  
  Yikes.

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