Mud Pie All Grown Up

Do you remember when you were little and it rained? The buckets came out, the spoons from your mothers silver drawer and your friends came out to join in the fun! Piles of mud turned into imaginary pies.

Imagine my delight when we went to a friends house for dinner last week and she served Mud Pie! A edible version of those imaginary pies. Loaded with oreos, coffee ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Yum!!!

How can I make a very basic and classic dessert a little more gourmet but still retain the childhood comfort of the dessert? The answer, individual tart pans! ( plus a little chocolate ganache can't hurt)

This dessert is simple to make but elegant in it's presentation, I dare you not smile when you eat it.

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Individual Mud Pies

serves 8

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1 package of oreos

1/2 stick of butter melted

1/2 quart coffee ice cream ( I use starbucks) softened

1 16 oz bag of good chocolate chips ( ghiradelli is my favorite)

1 pint heavy cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla

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Place oreos in food processor with melted butter. Pulse until crushed. Set aside. Place 1/3 cup crushed oreos into the individual tart pans, push the crumbles up the sides of the pan until evenly distributed and press firmly down all around. Spoon a heaping tablespoon softened ice cream into the center of the cookies. Smooth top of ice cream. Fill remaining shells and place in pan. Set aside in the freezer to harden.

Heat heavy cream in sauce pan until the top of the cream just begins to simmer, remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Let melt and then whisk to combine. Cool to room temperature.

Spoon in the center of pies. Spread slightly with the back of the spoon.

Place remaining amount of ganache in plastic squeeze bottle. Warm in microwave for 30 seconds to drizzle on top of pies and decorate serving plate. Ganache will keep in fridge for 7-10 days.