French Silk Chocolate Pie

FRENCH SILK CHOCOLATE PIE

4/18/2024

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Classic French Silk Chocolate Pie has been a family favorite for generations! This tried-and-true timeless recipe combines a luscious, velvety smooth chocolate filling, topped with swirls of sweetened whipped cream and dark chocolate curls - all sitting rather elegantly in a delicate buttery light crust. This recipe uses cooked eggs, so you don’t have to worry about consuming raw eggs. This is for my girls – all of you!

French Silk Chocolate Pie

I first had this classic pie at Poppin' Fresh Pies - and later Baker's Square. Back in the day my sister and I would stop here after choir practice, and enjoy a cup of delicious creamy chicken soup, ALWAYS followed up with a slice of French Silk Pie. Good memories indeed!

The one thing that bothered me about this pie (and it certainly wasn't the calories - this is worth every one of them) was the raw eggs. Even using pasturized eggs or egg product didn't give me any sense of food safety.

And then there was this...a crazy method of cooking the sugar and eggs into a delicate syrup, slowly adding in chopped dark chocolate, and then beating until light and fluffy.

The butter is then added, a piece at a time, and it is whipped into a glossy sheen. Fresh whipping cream is added to dark cocoa powder and whipped into chocolate clouds, which is then folded into the chocolate silk filling. So rich, so light, so fluffy....it just melts on your tongue.

French Silk Pie

FRENCH SILK PIE VARIATIONS:

DECADENT DARK CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIE: For all the dark chocolate aficionados out there, we've got you covered! Elevate the richness of the original recipe by using high-quality 100% dark chocolate instead. The intensified flavor will take your taste buds on a thrilling ride, leaving you in chocolate heaven. This variation is perfect for those who prefer a slightly bittersweet twist in their desserts.
HEAVENLY HAZELNUT FRENCH SILK PIE: Indulge in a nutty delight by infusing your French Silk Pie with the irresistible flavor of hazelnuts. Simply add finely ground hazelnuts to the crust or mix them into the chocolate filling for a delightful crunch. I like to drizzle the top with melted Nutella for extra chocolate and hazelnut flavor.
SALTED CARAMEL FRENCH SILK PIE: Looking to add a touch of sophistication to your dessert? Drizzle a luscious layer of homemade salted caramel sauce over the classic French Silk Pie and experience the perfect balance between silky chocolate and the tantalizing saltiness of caramel. This should be illegal!

French Silk Pie

CLASSIC FRENCH SILK PIE

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Classic French Silk Pie has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember - the creamy, dreamy rich chocolate filling, topped with fresh whipped cream and dark chocolate curls - all sitting rather elegantly in a delicate buttery light crust. This is for my girls – all of you!

French Silk Chocolate Pie

INGREDIENTS:
1 unbaked Flaky Pie Crust or All Butter Pie Crust
1-1/4 cups (10 oz) heavy cream
3 tablespoons (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
8 ounces bittersweet Ghirardelli) chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (57g) light brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM:
1-1/2 cups (360ml) heavy whipping cream (COLD)
1/3 cup (40g) confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet Ghirardelli chocolate bar (curled with vegetable peeler or finely chopped)
HOW I MAKE THIS:

PREPARE PIE CRUST: For this pie we’ll be using a single pie crust on the bottom of a 9x2-inch dish glass pie plate. Prepare pie crust per your favorite recipe, or use 1 refrigerated pie crust.
Sprinkle the bottom of pie plate with flour (this will prevent the crust from sticking to the bottom of your pie plate when serving). Roll out chilled pie dough on a floured work surface until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into pie plate. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Tuck overhanging crust underneath to double it up and cover the edge of your pie plate, and flute with your fingers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before baking.
Preheat oven to 375°F and adjust oven rack to the lowest position possible.
BLIND BAKE PIE CRUST: Remove pie plate from refrigerator, line crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper, covering edges to prevent browning, and fill with pie weights, filling the whole way up to the rim of the pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes or until dough looks dry and pale in color.
Remove foil/parchment and weights, rotate plate. With a fork, prick holes all over the bottom of crust and bake 13-15 additional minutes until crust is light golden brown. Remove pie plate from oven. Let the baked crust cool completely before adding filling.
PREPARE FILLING: Pour the heavy cream into a large mixing bowl and whip on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Slowly add in cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to whip until stiff peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the whipped cream to a small bowl and refrigerate.
In a large, heatproof bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and water. Beat the mixture on medium speed until pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan filled ½-inch of barely simmering water over low heat, and warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (about 7 minutes).
Remove the bowl from the heat and add finely chopped dark chocolate piece and vanilla and beat the mixture on medium speed until it is light and fluffy and cooled to room temperature (about 8 minutes).
Beat in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Scrape the filling into the pie shell and gently smooth top. Cover with a tinfoil tent (sealing foil around the edges) and chill at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
PREPARE TOPPING: Before serving, in a mixing bowl whip 2-1/2 cups heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add in granulated sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread over set pie and garnish with chocolate curls or finely chopped dark chocolate.
Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days - as if it would ever last that long!

YIELD: 8 Servings

FRENCH SILK PIE RECIPE VARIATIONS:

DECADENT DARK CHOCOLATE FRENCH SILK PIE: For all the dark chocolate aficionados out there, we've got you covered! Elevate the richness of the original recipe by using high-quality 100% dark chocolate instead. The intensified flavor will take your taste buds on a thrilling ride, leaving you in chocolate heaven. This variation is perfect for those who prefer a slightly bittersweet twist in their desserts.
HEAVENLY HAZELNUT FRENCH SILK PIE: Indulge in a nutty delight by infusing your French Silk Pie with the irresistible flavor of hazelnuts. Simply add finely ground hazelnuts to the crust or mix them into the chocolate filling for a delightful crunch. I like to drizzle the top with melted Nutella for extra chocolate and hazelnut flavor.
SALTED CARAMEL FRENCH SILK PIE: Looking to add a touch of sophistication to your dessert? Drizzle a luscious layer of homemade salted caramel sauce over the classic French Silk Pie and experience the perfect balance between silky chocolate and the tantalizing saltiness of caramel. This should be illegal!

Original recipe published November 2010; revised and reposted April 2024.

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