The Muffin Pan Hack To Make Mini Pie Shells

Suppose one day, you have the biggest hankering for a particular dessert: a slice of homemade pie. But you cannot, for the life of you, find the proper pie dish to use in your kitchen. Well, luckily you are not at a total loss because there is a hack to making mini pie shells: a handy dandy muffin pan.

Using puff pastry (you can either make that yourself or pick it up at the store), just roll it into one large log, cut it into 1-inch thick slices, and press each slice into the cups of your muffin tin. Another method that works is to roll out the dough and cut it into mini circles using a cookie cutter. 

After molding each slice in the pan to resemble a mini pie crust, simply prick each one with a fork to ensure there isn't too much puffing, and then place it in the refrigerator. Then you follow the tried-and-true bake and weight process — fill muffin liners with pie weights, bake the whole thing for several minutes, cover it with foil, and then bake again. Tip: You can use sugar over rice for a versatile pie weight. 

Once these beautiful shells come out of the oven, the fun begins — choosing the filling! Create decadent tarts filled with chocolate pudding and adorn them with raspberries, or pack each one with pumpkin pie filling and top them with whipped cream. When it comes to these muffin-pan shells, the possibilities are endless. 

Along with making the perfect individual pies and tarts, there are other surprising uses for a muffin pan, including creating delicious cookie cups. By flipping the tin upside down, mold your favorite cookie dough (either store-bought or homemade) onto the rear side of each cup, and bake until you arrive at your preferred cookie texture (longer for crispy, less time for more gooey-ness). These cookie cups are the perfect foundation for ice cream, whipped cream, hot fudge, or frosting. 

Your gateway to the cutest and tiniest cheesecakes is also by means of a muffin pan. Just follow the same recipe for your favorite cheesecake crust and filling, but instead of baking in a springform pan, place the crust and filling in each cup of the muffin tin. After baking for about 20 minutes, you can top the confection with fresh berries, lemon curd, or whipped cream. 

Want something quick and easy but elegant? You can craft little chocolate bowls – perfect to hold homemade salted caramel peanut butter, banana caramel pudding, or stabilized whipped cream – with your muffin tin. Simply put cupcake wrappers into each muffin hole, temper your chocolate, and pour in enough to coat each liner. Use a spoon or an offset spatula to brush the chocolate up the sides (don't skimp here — the thicker the wall of chocolate, the less likely it will break), and allow it to set in the fridge. Then, peel away the wrapper, and voila! You have elegant dessert cups.