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Coconut Peanut Butter Eggs

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Coconut Peanut Butter Eggs
Delight your family and guests with these candy Easter eggs made with a coconut, peanut butter, and nut center. After the egg-shaped candies are dipped in chocolate, serve as is or decorate with Royal Icing.
Recipe type: Dessert | Candy | Coconut | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Equipment: Double Boiler Method: Stovetop Pan: Two Large Baking Pans Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Yield: 2 Dozen Eggs Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place or Refrigerate

Help: Chocolate Types, Melting Chocolate, Tempering Chocolate, Royal Icing

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Center:
  • 1 cup chunky or creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
  • 1½ cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
Coating:
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate or, milk chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon shortening (optional, not used if tempering chocolate)
  • Royal Icing decoration (optional)
Instructions
Center:
  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and butter, use an electric mixer or wooden spoon and beat together until well mixed. Add coconut, nuts, and powdered sugar; stir until well mixed.
  2. Shape dough into egg shapes, about 2” in diameter. Cover eggs and refrigerate until well chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
Coating:
Tip: It is always preferable to temper chocolate when the chocolate is used for dipping candies. In place of step 9 below, See Tempering Chocolate for information about how to temper the chocolate to be used for dipping these candies.

If you don’t want to go through the steps of tempering the chocolate, the following directions are for melting chocolate (not tempering.)
  1. Line 2 large baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper or wax paper.
  2. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate. Stir in the shortening. Set aside to cool. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a glass bowl, stainless steel bowl, or ceramic bowl on top of the hot water; the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. Place the cooled bowl of chocolate over a pan of hot water to keep the chocolate a liquid consistency for dipping.
Dipping:
  1. Place one egg at a time in the chocolate, gently turn it over with a fork or candy dipping fork. Use the fork to lift the egg out of the chocolate and tap the fork on the rim of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip back into the pan, and then draw the underside of the fork over the rim of the pan to remove any drips of chocolate. Gently place the chocolate coated egg on the prepared baking pan, pushing the egg off the fork with another fork. Let egg sit until the chocolate is dry and firm. Tip: refrigerate chocolate coated balls about 30 minutes for the chocolate to become firm. However, if the chocolate has been tempered the balls do not need to be refrigerated as the chocolate should set quickly.
  2. When chocolate is firm, decorate as desired with Royal Icing (optional.)
  3. Store in an airtight container so they won’t dry out. Candies dipped with tempered chocolate can generally be stored in a cool place or at room temperature. Candies dipped with melted (untempered chocolate) should generally be stored in the refrigerator.

Vanilla Nut Easter Eggs

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Vanilla Nut Easter Eggs
Creamy milk chocolate covers these Easter eggs with a soft walnut nougat center. The nougat is a basic divinity recipe made extra rich with the addition of white chocolate. Use pastel tinted Royal Icing along with your imagination to turn these candy Easter eggs into treats your family will love.
Recipe type: Dessert | Candy | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Equipment: Medium Heavy-Bottomed Pan, Candy Thermometer Method: Stovetop Pan: One Large Baking Pan Pan Prep: Parchment Lined Yield: 2 Dozen Pieces Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place or Refrigerate

Help: Chocolate Types, Melting Chocolate, Tempering Chocolate, Royal Icing

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Center:
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 2½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
Coating:
  • 12 ounces milk chocolate or, semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon shortening (optional, not used if tempering chocolate)
  • Royal Icing decoration (optional)
Instructions
Line a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper, wax paper, or a non-stick baking mat. Set aside.
Tip: Before beginning to make the candy, have all ingredients, equipment, and tools prepared and ready to use.
Center:
  1. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Set aside. Tip: Use a stand mixer; a hand mixer is not likely to have enough power for the heavy texture of the candy.
  2. In a medium-size heavy-bottomed pan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir gently to avoid splashing the mixture onto the sides of the pan. When the mixture begins to simmer, cover the pan tightly with a lid for 3 to 4 minutes to allow condensation to form and run down the inside of the pan to help wash away stray sugar crystals.
  3. Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches a temperature of 260 degrees F, a hard ball stage, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. While the syrup is cooking, wash away any sugar crystals that form on the sides of the pan by wiping upwards with a damp pastry brush so the sugar crystals don’t fall back into the syrup.
  4. Meanwhile, as the temperature of the syrup reaches about 240 degrees F, continue beating the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Stop the mixer, remove the whisk attachment and attach the paddle.
  5. When the sugar mixture reaches 260 degrees F, Immediately remove pan from the heat. Tip: Lower the heat when the temperature reaches about 250 degrees to slow the cooking because at this point it will quickly reach 260 degrees. In addition, remove the pan from the heat just before the syrup reaches 260 degrees to prevent it from going over 260 degrees.
  6. Immediately start pouring the hot sugar mixture, in a thin steady stream, into the beaten egg whites, while beating with the electric mixer at medium speed. This will cause the egg whites to double in volume. Be careful, the sugar is extremely hot and will burn your skin if you touch it.
  7. Slowly add the vanilla. Increase the speed to high and continue beating at high speed until the candy changes from a smooth shiny texture to a rough dull texture. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes.
  8. As soon as the texture changes to the rough dull texture, slow the electric mixer to a medium speed and add the white chocolate pieces, stirring until chocolate is melted and mixed in. Add the nuts, and stir until mixed. Tip: the candy will be stiff and difficult to stir. If necessary, turn the mixture out onto a pastry board or marble board and knead with your hands to mix the nuts into the candy.
  9. Shape candy into egg shapes, about 2” in diameter. Place eggs on baking pan, cover and refrigerate until well chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
Coating:
Tip: It is always preferable to temper chocolate when the chocolate is used for dipping candies. In place of step 9 below, See Tempering Chocolate for information about how to temper the chocolate to be used for dipping these candies.

If you don’t want to go through the steps of tempering the chocolate, the following directions are for melting chocolate (not tempering.)
  1. Line a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper or wax paper.
  2. In top of a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate and shortening; stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to combine. Set aside to cool. Tip: Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing it to a simmer. Turn the heat off and place a glass bowl, stainless steel bowl, or ceramic bowl on top of the hot water; the upper pan should not touch the water.
  3. Place the cooled bowl of chocolate over a pan of hot water to keep the chocolate a liquid consistency for dipping.
Dipping:
  1. Place one egg at a time in the chocolate, gently turn it over with a fork or candy dipping fork. Use the fork to lift the egg out of the chocolate and tap the fork on the rim of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip back into the pan, and then draw the underside of the fork over the rim of the pan to remove any drips of chocolate. Gently place the chocolate coated egg on the baking pan, pushing the egg off the fork with another fork. Let eggs sit until the chocolate is dry and firm. Tip: refrigerate chocolate coated eggs about 30 minutes for the chocolate to become firm. However, if the chocolate has been tempered the balls do not need to be refrigerated as the chocolate should set quickly.
  2. Decorate as desired with Royal Icing (optional.)
  3. Store in an airtight container so they won’t dry out. Candies dipped with tempered chocolate can generally be stored in a cool place or at room temperature. Candies dipped with melted (untempered chocolate) should generally be stored in the refrigerator.

Rocky Road Fudge

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Rocky Road Fudge
Rich, creamy fudge loaded with nuts and marshmallows to make a traditional Rocky Road. Use packaged marshmallows or try making your own homemade Marshmallows.
Recipe type: Dessert | Candy | Marshmallow | Chocolate
Prep time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Equipment: Large Heavy-Bottomed Pan, Candy Thermometer Method: Stovetop Pan: One 8" Square Baking Pan Pan Prep: Buttered Yield: 64 Pieces Storage: Airtight Container, Cool Place or Refrigerate

Help: Chocolate Types, Toasting Nuts and Seeds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Candy:
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows
Instructions
Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.
Candy:
  1. In a large-size heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, combine butter, evaporated milk, sugar, and salt; heat and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to boil.
  2. Raise the heat to medium-high, and continue to boil, without stirring, until the sugar mixture reaches a temperature of 240 degrees F, a soft ball stage, using a candy or instant read thermometer to gauge the temperature. Remove pan from heat. Tip: Lower the heat when the temperature reaches 235 degrees to slow the cooking because at this point it will quickly reach 240 degrees. In addition, remove the pan from the heat just before the syrup reaches 240 degrees to prevent it from going over 240 degrees. Be careful, the sugar is extremely hot and will burn your skin if you touch it.
  3. Add the chocolate to the hot mixture and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well blended. Add walnuts and marshmallows, stir to mix.
  4. Pour candy into the prepared baking pan. Let sit until cooled and candy is firm. Cut into squares.
Tip: My favorite tool to cut fudge is a dough scraper; simply push the dough scraper straight down into the candy for straight cuts. Or use a pizza cutter or small kitchen knife to cut the candy into squares.

Baklava

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Baklava
This recipe is from an old friend who would make this Baklava each year for the Greek festival in Portland, Oregon. Making Baklava seems complex but it is really not difficult. Take one step at a time and you will be surprised at the delicious results. This is a wonderful dessert to serve at Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Rosh Hashanah, and Purim.

Baklava is a rich, honey sweetened, Mediterranean pastry, made with layers of thin phyllo pastry sheets, butter, and a sugary spiced nut mixture. Baklava may be made with pistachios or pine nuts, but popular versions use walnuts or almonds, or a combination of nuts. Baklava is cut before baking, typically into diamond, triangle or square shapes. After the baklava is baked, sweetened syrup flavored with lemon, cinnamon, and honey is poured over the hot pastry and allowed to soak in.
Recipe type: Dessert | Honey Pastry
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 12"x17"x1" Jelly Roll Pan Prep: Buttered Oven Temp: 300° Yield: About 5 Dozen Pieces Storage: Cover and Refrigerate

Help: Blanching Almonds

TheBakingPan Recommends: The BEST instant read thermometer I’ve used for cooking and baking; the ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is incredibly fast, ThermoWorks Splash-Proof Super-Fast Thermapenaccurate, and well worth the investment. I use my Thermapen Thermometer for checking room temperature ingredients, tempering chocolate, baking bread, making pastry creams, sugar syrup, caramel, and candy, cooking meats and fish, and deep frying. Thermapen Thermometer available here.
Ingredients
Syrup:
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • ¼ inch slice of lemon
  • 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup honey (preferably clover honey)
Pastry:
  • 1¼ pounds (5 sticks) unsalted butter, clarified
  • 2 pounds (about 8 cups) walnuts, finely chopped
  • ½ pound (about 1½ cups) blanched almonds, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pound phyllo pastry sheets (Filo Dough) 12x17 inches, #4 size, room temperature
Instructions
Syrup:
  1. Make the syrup in advance to allow time to cool. The syrup can also be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated, then bring to room temperature before using.
  2. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, lemon slice, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring frequently until sugar completely dissolves. Reduce heat so mixture is simmering; simmer for 10 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat, stir in the honey. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Pastry:
  1. Clarify Butter: Melt and simmer the butter in a saucepan over low heat for a few minutes. Skim off and discard the white layer that forms on top. Let the butter sit and cool for about 5 minutes to allow the milk solids to sink to the bottom of the pan. Carefully spoon out the clear (clarified) butter into a small bowl. If you think you’ve accidentally scooped out some of the milk solids from the bottom, strain the clarified butter through a piece of cheesecloth to remove the solids. Discard the milk solids.
  2. In a large bowl, combine walnuts, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon; stir to thoroughly mix; set aside. Set aside.
  3. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom of one 12x17x1 inch Jelly Roll pan with a thin layer of clarified butter. Place one pastry sheet in pan, brush top with clarified butter. Repeat with 5 more pastry sheets so that there are a total of 6 pastry sheets layered in the bottom of the pan. Tip: Brush each phyllo pastry layer with a thin layer of clarified butter. Don’t over-saturate the phyllo, but make sure to butter the phyllo completely.
  4. Brush top of sixth layer with clarified butter and sprinkle about ½ cup of the nut mixture evenly over the top. Place another pastry sheet on top, brush with clarified butter, and sprinkle with about ½ cup of the nut mixture. Repeat until all of the nut mixture is used, and there are 6 pastry sheets remaining.
  5. Place one of the last 6 pastry sheets on top of mixture, brush top with clarified butter. Repeat with remaining pastry sheets to form the top 6 layers. Brush top of last pastry sheet with clarified butter.
  6. Cover pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes to solidify the butter and firm up the layers. This step will make it easier to cut the pastry.
  7. Remove from refrigerator. Using a very sharp large kitchen knife, gently hold down the pastry with one hand and cut diagonally from one corner to about 3 inches off from the diagonal corner and cutting about ¾ of the way through the pastry, not all the way to the bottom of the pan. Make parallel diagonal cuts about 1½ inch apart. Once all the diagonal cuts are made, make straight cuts lengthwise about 1½ inch apart, creating diamond shaped pieces.Baklava
  8. Bake: Bake 90 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown, and the center is not soggy. Remove from oven and spoon cooled syrup evenly over hot pastry. Place baking pan on wire cooling rack to cool and allow the pastry to absorb the syrup.
Baklava Tips:
  1. Make the clarified butter in advance and let cool to room temperature. If any milk solids are left in the butter the butter may tend to thicken as it cools. If this happens don’t worry, put the pan over low heat to re-liquefy the butter.
  2. Brush each phyllo pastry layer with a thin layer of butter. Don’t over saturate the phyllo, but make sure and cover the phyllo completely. The butter acts like a glue and binds everything together.
  3. The phyllo dough needs to be at room temperature; this will help prevent it from being brittle and tearing easily. Remove the phyllo dough from the box, but leave sealed in the wrapping, and leave on the countertop for 2 hours before using.
  4. If you are using a 12x17x1 inch Jelly Roll pan for this recipe, the phyllo dough may seem to be a bit larger than the pan. You can cut the phyllo dough to size, however this isn’t necessary. Don’t worry if the bottom layers lay up a bit on the sides of the pan. As you add the nut layers the phyllo will fit perfectly.
  5. If the phyllo dough rips or tears while using, don’t worry, just piece it back together and brush with butter to hold together.
  6. When placing a piece of phyllo pastry on top of the nut mixture the pastry will seem more delicate and try to slip around. Gently hold down with one hand while brushing with butter with your other hand. Dab butter, instead of brush, the corners and edges of the phyllo with butter to help keep the phyllo in place, and then brush the rest of the phyllo with butter.
  7. Keep the phyllo pastry close to the pan. I like to have the pan right in front of me, with the long edge parallel to the edge of the countertop. Lay the stack of phyllo pastry sheets right behind the pan. Pick up each phyllo pastry sheet with 2 hands by grabbing the edge nearest to you and just slide the pastry into the pan.
  8. Phyllo pastry dries out quickly. If you think you will get distracted by ringing telephones or answering the door, or other activities, then keep the unused phyllo covered with a damp kitchen towel to keep from drying out. If you plan to assemble the baklava all at one time, then you will be using the phyllo quickly enough that the sheets won’t dry out and you shouldn’t need to cover the unused pastry sheets with a damp towel.

Raisin Walnut Meringue Pie

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Raisin Walnut Meringue Pie
Sour cream raisin pie is old fashioned, rich and spicy, and dappled all through with raisins. I’ve added walnuts and a shot of brandy, and then topped it off with a brown sugar meringue.
Recipe type: Dessert | Custard Pie | Fruit Pie
Serves: 6 to 8
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9" Pie Pastry: Classic Pie Pastry Prep: Blind Baked Starting Oven Temp: 425° Storage: Loosely Covered and Refrigerate

Help: Classic Pie Pastry, Making Meringue
Ingredients
Pastry:
  • Classic Pie Pastry for one 9 inch single crust pie
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 teaspoon coarse or turbinado sugar
Filling:
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1½ cups sour cream
  • 1½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1½ cups raisins
  • ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons brandy or rum
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Meringue:
  • 3 large egg whites
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Pastry:
  1. Prepare Classic Pie Pastry for a 9 inch single-crust pie. Line a 9 inch pie pan with the bottom pastry. Trim the pastry to one inch beyond the edge of the pie pan, turn the edges under. Flute the edges. Lightly prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate pie shell until firm, at least 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  3. Line the pie pastry with parchment paper, aluminum foil, or a large coffee filter. Fill the pastry with pie weights or dried beans or rice to keep the pastry from puffing up and shrinking.
  4. Bake: Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully remove the paper and pie weights or beans.
  5. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg white with the water. Using a pastry brush, apply a thin coat of egg white over the entire pastry. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the fluted edges
  6. Return to the oven and continue to bake another 5 to 6 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool on a wire cooling rack.
  7. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
Filling:
  1. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Add egg yolks, sour cream, and lemon juice and stir until smooth. Stir in raisins, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula and scraping over the bottom of the pan to prevent the mixture from burning, until mixture thickens & boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in walnuts, brandy or rum, and vanilla.
  2. Pour the hot filling into the baked pie shell. Place the pie in the heated oven to keep the filling very hot before adding the meringue.
Brown Sugar Meringue:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and vanilla; increase the mixer speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
  2. Remove pie from oven. Drop tablespoons of meringue in a ring around the edge of the hot filling making sure the meringue completely touches the edge of the pie crust to prevent shrinking. Then fill in the center with remaining meringue, spreading the meringue to cover the filling completely. Gently press down on the meringue to fill in any air pockets. Swirl the meringue with the back of the spoon to form attractive swirls and peaks.
  3. Bake: Return pie to oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until most of the meringue is a golden brown. Tip: During baking, if edges of crust are getting too brown, place a ring of foil over the fluted edge, but keep the meringue uncovered.
  4. Remove pie from oven. Cool on a wire cooling rack, away from drafts to prevent the meringue from weeping.
Serving Suggestion: Meringue pies are best served as soon as cooled. Or, cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until ready to serve. Leftover pie should be loosely covered with an aluminum foil tent. Do not cover with plastic wrap as condensation will form under the plastic.

Chocolate Nut Crust

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Chocolate Nut Crust
Chocolaty, Nutty, Cinnamony, delicious! Cinnamon and chocolate make a perfect combination of flavors.
Recipe type: Dessert | Pie Crust | Crumb Crust | Cookie Crust
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Recipe Notes
Pan: One 9" Pie Pastry Prep: Bake Before Filling Oven Temp: 350° Yield: Single Crust 9" Storage: Cover Room Temperature or Refrigerate
Ingredients
Chocolate Nut Crust:
  • 1 cup Chocolate Cookie crumbs, finely ground (Use a cookie such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, or the chocolate cookie portion of Oreo cookies)
  • ½ cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Chocolate Nut Crust:
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cookie crumbs, nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Stir until thoroughly mixed and mixture is crumbly.
  2. Pour the chocolate crumb mixture into a 9 inch pie pan. Using the back of a large spoon or the flat bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass, press the crumb mixture firmly and evenly across the bottom and against the sides of the pie pan.
  3. Bake: Bake 10 minutes. The edges may be just slightly browned, but you do not want the edges or crust to over-brown. Remove from oven. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  4. The pie crust may be cooled completely on a wire cooling rack or used warm, according to the pie recipe.