French Silk Pie Recipe

This tasty classic recipe for French silk pie is super easy to make with a homemade crust and plenty of whipped cream all over the top!

Man have I developed a sweet tooth in the last 8 years.  You can thank my wife for this.  No seriously, it all started with a little after-dinner sweet to now craving it all day like crazy haha. Which is obviously why I made a French silk pie recipe.

This is actually really easy to make, the hardest part is waiting for the chocolate filling to solidify.  Yes, it’s hard and it totally stinks waiting!  Hopefully, though I’ll at least make this recipe foolproof for you so that you can whip it up and serve it to your friends.

Why Is It Called French Silk Pie

This is actually an American pie recipe developed in the 1950s and it got its name from its smooth silky mousse-like filling.

What Is It Made Of

It features a homemade pie crust, rich creamy chocolate filling that is chilled until solidified and it’s then topped off with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Some of the filling ingredients include:

• Whipping Cream
• Butter
• Sugar
• Chocolate
• Eggs

What About Raw Eggs in the Pie

There are raw eggs in the recipe and while I can’t tell you it is 100% safe, we’ve never been sick.  I always recommend buying organic eggs for recipes like this.  In addition, there are severable egg brands that are pasteurized which kills off bacteria like Salmonella and other viruses in case you are feeling nervous about it.

Another way to keep you safer would be to add the eggs one at a time until whisked into the hot melted chocolate which will bring them up to safer temperatures before adding to the whipped cream.

How to Make The Crust

Is there anything more awesome than a homemade pie crust?  I mean, after all, it’s what makes all pie recipes.  This pie is honestly that much better because the pie crust is homemade.

Skip going to the store to make your pie crust and check out how easy it is!

• 1. Add the all-purpose flour to a food processor.
• 2. Add in some salt, cold butter and sugar.

• 3. Pulse on high speed while drizzling in ice-cold water until it becomes a meal
• 4. Transfer the dough to a clean surface dusted with flour

• 5. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8” thick.
• 6. Form the dough to a pie pan

I mean that is it when it comes to making a homemade pie crust.  Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour is just so good.  It has enough protein for those artisan bread and delicate enough to make a cake.  It’s the perfect pie crust ingredient.

You do not have to make a fluted edge like I did, feel free to do whatever you’d like.

Par Baking the Crust

Once your pie crust is formed add a piece of parchment to the center of the crust and pour in some dried beans.  This will help keep the dough from falling or making crazy air pockets.  Par bake the pie crust by adding dried beans to some parchment paper and placing them directly onto the pie and then baking it for just 6 minutes on 450° and then cool it to room temperature.

How to Make French Silk Pie Filling

So now that you have your pie crust now you need the French Silk Pie filling.  This process is also super easy to do, so be sure you have a standing mixer or even a hand mixer will do.  The consistency of the filling is that of chocolate mousse.  It’s as if there is gelatin in it to help hold together.

1. Start by whipping butter and sugar together until it becomes light and fluffy.
2. Next, you want to beat in the eggs followed up with the melted chocolate.

You will start to see this filling come together.  Try not to eat it because last but not least you fold in some fresh whipped cream until all the white is gone.

Cooling the French Silk Pie

Now’s the hardest part of this pie recipe…  The waiting game.

It has to chill for at least 2 hours and for sure is even better if you can hold off overnight, but I get it.  This is way too delicious to wait that long for.  Once it’s cooled, top off with some fresh whipped cream as well as some chocolate shavings, or even some chocolate sauce, and now you may go to town on this.

Recipe Chef Notes + Tips

Raw Eggs: There are raw eggs in the recipe and while I can’t tell you it is 100% safe, we’ve never been sick.  I always recommend buying organic eggs for recipes like this.  In addition, there are severable egg brands that are pasteurized which kills off bacteria like Salmonella and other viruses in case you are feeling nervous about it.  Another way to keep you safer would be to add the eggs one at a time until whisked into the hot melted chocolate which will bring them up to safer temperatures before adding to the whipped cream.

Make-Ahead: You can make this pie up to 3 days ahead of time while keeping cool in the refrigerator before serving.  I recommend not adding on the whipped cream to the top until it is ready to be eaten.

How to Store: You can keep the pie covered in plastic for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

My Favorite Dessert Recipes

If you love this French Silk Pie Recipe, then you are going to love these dessert recipes!

• Bundt Cake Recipe
• Apple Galette Recipe
• Root Beer Float Recipe
• Ice Cream Tacos
• Panna Cotta Recipe
• Ultimate Brownies

Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below

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5 from 5 votes

French Silk Pie Recipe

this delicious classic recipe for French silk pie is super easy to make and always a fan favorite after any meal!

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time6 mins

Cooling Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 51 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: 12

Calories: 509kcal

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

Ingredients

For the crust:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 stick of unsalted butter
• ▢ pinch of sea salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons of sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup of ice cold water

For the Filling:

• ▢ 3 cups of heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1 cup of unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
• ▢ ½ cup of sugar + 2/3 more
• ▢ 4 eggs

Instructions

• For the Crust: Preheat the oven to 450°.
• add the flour, butter, salt and sugar to a food processor and pulse on high speed while drizzling in the water until it becomes like a meal. Note: you may need a bit more water.
• Transfer the dough to a clean surface dusted with flour and roll the dough out with a pin until it is 1/8 thick.
• Form the dough to a 9” pie pan cutting off any excess and crimping the edges to make a ripple around the outside.
• Add a piece of parchment paper over the top of the pie crust followed up with some dried beans and park bake for 6 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• Filling: Add the heavy cream and ½ cup of sugar to a standing mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks have formed about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Set 1/3 of the whipped cream into a separate container but chill both the 1/3 and 2/3 in the refrigerator until it’s time to use it.
• Add the chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1 minute. Stir and return to the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and return to the microwave for 30 more seconds. At this point, it should be melted. Cool to room temperature
• Add the butter and sugar to a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on high speed until the butter becomes light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in the chocolate
• Next, add in 2 of the eggs and beat for 2 minutes before adding in the other 2 eggs. Beat for a further 3-4 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
• Fold in the chilled 1/3 cup of heavy cream using a rubber spatula until all of the white cream has been mixed in.
• Transfer the filling to the par-baked pie crust and smooth out using a spoon or spatula.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Top off with remaining chilled whipped cream and add an optional garnish of shaved chocolate.

Notes

Chef Notes:

• Raw Eggs: There are raw eggs in the recipe and while I can't tell you it is 100% safe, we've never been sick.  I always recommend buying organic eggs for recipes like this.  In addition, there are severable egg brands that are pasteurized which kills off bacteria like Salmonella and other viruses in case you are feeling nervous about it.  Another way to keep you safer would be to add the eggs one at a time until whisked into the hot melted chocolate which will bring them up to safer temperatures before adding to the whipped cream.

 

• Make-Ahead: You can make this pie up to 3 days ahead of time while keeping cool in the refrigerator before serving.  I recommend not adding on the whipped cream to the top until it is ready to be eaten.

 

• How to Store: You can keep the pie covered in plastic for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1431IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg