Last weekend, I was invited to dinner at a friend’s house, and was asked to bring dessert. I made two pies and would like to share the recipe for one of them. Get ready chocolate lovers. Its time for my french silk pie recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 nine inch deep dish pie crust (frozen or refrigerated)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (melted)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 pasteurized eggs
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon powdered milk
- Chocolate curls for decoration
Instructions
- Bake pie crust according to package directions or recipe if you made your own. Allow to cool completely.
- Beat granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 4 minutes.
- Add melted chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Beat for another 4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time beating for another 4 minutes after each egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl each time you pause to add another egg.
- Spread the filling into the cooled pie crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better.
- Beat cream, powdered sugar, and powdered milk in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stable peaks form. Spread or pipe whipped cream over the chocolate layer.
- Garnish with chocolate curls.
Did you make a french silk pie? I’d love to hear what you think about it in the comments.
FAQ
You specified that the eggs need to be pasteurized, but I can’t find any with that label at the store. What do I do?
All eggs sold commercially in grocery stores in the United States are pasteurized. You don’t have to take my word for it. Head on over the the USDA site and check it out for yourself. I couldn’t find any labeled as being pasteurized either. Just to be safe, don’t use the ones you collect on your own farm in recipes that don’t require cooking.
I have a lot of pie filling left over. What should I do?
Oh my goodness! You call yourself a chocolate lover? EAT IT! At least, that’s what I did. It was delicious. You could always use a deeper pie crust too, but that seriously cuts into all the “lick the bowl” goodness.
Does the type of chocolate matter?
Yes, it does. Better quality chocolate will create a richer, creamier dessert. You won’t be able to make chocolate curls from cheap chocolate either. Take a look at those chocolate flakes on my pie and ask me how I know. I bought expensive chocolate for the pie, but used a cheaper store brand for the topping. Lesson learned.
I’m about halfway through the steps. This just looks like a gritty mess. Did I do something wrong?
Maybe. The instructions to beat for 4 minutes between each step aren’t just a suggestion. My pie filling looked gritty up unto the last egg was added. It is a combination of all the mixing and getting just enough liquid from the eggs that produce the smooth texture in the filling.
Is the powdered milk important?
I would say it is important, but it isn’t necessary. The powdered milk will make your whipped cream shelf stable for several days. Without it, the cream could start to loose shape. If you are going to finish off the entire pie quickly, you can certainly get away with not using the powdered milk. Try it both ways. See what you like.