Espresso Cream Pie

Directions

1. 1
   Prepare the crust by placing flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. While the machine is running, pour in the egg slowly. The dough should hold together when pinched.
2. 2
   Gather dough into a dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to chill.
3. 3
   Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease six 3 1/2-inch tartlet pans.
4. 4
   Take out dough from refrigerator. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, until 3mm thick, and cut six 5-inch circles from it.
5. 5
   Line the prepared pans with the dough circles. Make sure you leave a tiny overhang of dough. Use a small kitchen knife to trim off the excess and also to score the crust slightly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool fully before filling.
6. 6
   To prepare filling, mix espresso powder with warm water until completely blended. Let cool completely.
7. 7
   In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream until it holds firm peaks. Remove cream from bowl and keep cold in fridge.
8. 8
   In the same bowl, beat cream cheese until it's soft and creamy. Add sugar and the espresso mixture and continue beating until combined.
9. 9
   Gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten the mixture, then add the remaining cream and continue folding until incorporated.
10. 10
    Evenly spread the cream mixture in the completely cooled pie crusts. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles.
11. 11
    Refrigerate the pies until set, about an hour.