Strawberry Margarita Mini-Pies

This was the final piece of my Cinco de Mayo dinner, and I didn’t want to let the ball drop on dessert. We like our sweets, but I didn’t want anything too heavy after our enchiladas, so chocolate was out of the question. When I found this recipe on Annie’s Eats, I started to drool, but was concerned by the amount of dessert we would have if I followed the original instructions.

The solution? Cut the recipe in half and use my 4 inch springform pans instead of a 9 inch. One of these mini-pies was the perfect amount for the 2 of us to share, and was the perfect light compliment to our spicy and flavorful meal. Oh, and even better is the fact that we still have 2 more waiting for us in the freezer!

I did make one signifigant change to the original recipe by substituting pretzels in the crust. We really liked the salty sweet contrast of the final result. Now, if you wanted to make this into a 9 inch cake for a crowd, simply double all components of the recipe below, bake the crust for 3 to 5 minutes longer than the instructions below, and plan to make this a day ahead, as it turns out best if frozen overnight.

(No, the dessert pictured isn’t bite-sized; the strawberry on top is simply that huge!)

Ingredients:

Pretzel Crust:

• 2 cups Pretzels
  
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
  
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
  

Strawberry Margarita Filling:

• 1 cup Fresh Strawberries, hulled and quartered
  
• 3 Tbsp
  
• ½ cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
  
• 3 Tbsp Tequila, white
  
• 2 Tbsp Triple Sec
  
• Juice of 1 lime
  
• Zest of one lime
  
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
  

Garnish:

• Fresh strawberries
  
• Lime slices or wedges
  
• Whipped Cream
  

Directions:

Pretzel Crust:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350⁰. Line the bottom of 3 4″ springform pans with parchment paper. Butter the parchment, as well as the sides of the springform.
   
2. Pulse pretzels in a food processor until finely ground. In a medium bowl combine the pretzel crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter and toss with a fork until well combined.
   
3. Divide the mixture between the springform pans and evenly cover the sides and bottom of the pan with the crumb.
   
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
   

Strawberry Margarita Filling:

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, condensed milk, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and lime zest in the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add one third of the whipped cream to the puree and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Stir in the remaining cream.
   
3. Pour the filling into the crust, cover, and freeze until firm, about 2 to 3 hours.
   

Serving:

1. To remove the springform sides, wrap a towel soaked in hot water around the outside of the pan for 10-15 seconds. Carefully remove the sides of the pan.
   
2. Before serving, garnish with fresh strawberries, lime slices, and whipped cream as desired.