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The Perfect Treat for National Pi Day: Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pies

March 14 marks Pi Day, an annual celebration of the mathematical sign pi. March 14 was selected because the numerical date (3.14) represents the first three digits of pi. The date also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday.

So what better way to mark the date than with some delicious pie? Namely, Vegan Mini Chocolate Hazelnut Pies. This recipe is from a reader in North Carolina. He writes, “This recipe has all the rich, sweet, chocolatey, and hazelnutty flavor of some of my favorite, most decadent treats, but without the refined bleached sugar, palm oil, and artificial vanilla flavoring! The math is simple: Delicious + Healthier = An Enjoyable, Guilt-Free Treat!”

servings: 7 MINI PIES

 Ingredients

Crust:

1 Ready-to-Bake Rolled Pie Crust 

Filling:

6½ tbs Canned Unsweetened Coconut Cream (warmed)
2 oz Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (melted)
⅓ cup Rigoni di Asiago® Nocciolata Dairy Free (an organic cocoa and hazelnut spread from a recipe designed for lactose-intolerant and vegan diets)
½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

For the Crust:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Bring the rolled pie crust out of the fridge and let it sit at room temp for about 20 minutes, or until slightly softened.

Animation:
Tip: Don’t unroll the crust cold or it could tear.

3. Unroll the pie crust onto a clean surface. Use a 4″ circle cookie cutter to punch circles out of the crust.
4. Firmly press the pie crust circles into ungreased muffin tin cups. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool.

For the Filling:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut cream and melted chocolate until completely smooth.
2. Add in the spread and the vanilla extract and whisk.  Scoop the “batter” into the baked pie crust cups and transfer the pan to the fridge.  Refrigerate overnight.
3. Serve with coconut whipped cream, a healthy dose of melted chocolate drizzled on top, and a generous sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts.  Enjoy!

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