These luxurious mini pies come together in two stages: baking flaky, buttery tart shells in ordinary muffin pans, then filling them with a smooth, bittersweet chocolate ganache. Topping each with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is the final flourish.
Game plan: You can make the dough and refrigerate it for up to 1 day, or store it in the freezer for up to a month (transfer it to the fridge for thawing the day before you plan to make the pies). The whipped cream is best served immediately, but you can make it in advance by whipping the cream to soft peaks and refrigerating it for up to 2 hours. When ready to serve, continue whipping the cream to medium peaks.
To bake the shells:
Line 18 of the muffin wells with the dough. Freeze for 20 minutes. 
Remove the foil and weights and bake until the crusts are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 
To make the filling:
Add the chopped chocolate and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
Cover each pie with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.To serve:
