This tasty classic French silk pie recipe with chocolate filling and homemade crust is the perfect dessert.
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 45 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 6 minutesminutes
Cooling Time: 2 hourshours
Total Time: 2 hourshours51 minutesminutes
Ingredients
For the crust:
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour
1stick of unsalted butter
pinchof sea salt
2teaspoonsof sugar
¼cupof ice cold water
For the Filling:
3cupsof heavy whipping cream
½cupof sugar + 2/3 more
1cupof unsalted butter
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
4ouncessemi-sweet chocolate
4large eggs
Instructions
For the Pie Crust:
Preheat the oven to 450°. If using convection, preheat it to 425°.
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, knead to form a ball, and then roll it out with a pin until it is 1/8 thick.
Form the dough into 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 pie crust, pour some dried beans over the parchment paper, and par-bake for 6 to 8 minutes. The pie crust will not change much color but will become firm once cooled after baking.
Remove from the oven and cool completely to room temperature.
For the 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, which takes 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 slightly to room temperature, which only takes 4 to 5 minutes.
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, which takes about 5 minutes.
Mix in the vanilla extract and then the melted chocolate.
Next, add 2 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 whipped cream using a rubber spatula until it 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 or until the pie has settled and is firm.
Top off with the remaining chilled whipped cream and add an optional garnish of shaved chocolate.
Notes
Make-Ahead: You can make this pie up to 3 days ahead of time while keeping it cool in the refrigerator before serving. I recommend not adding the whipped cream to the top until it is ready to be eaten.How to Store: You can keep the pie covered in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This French silk pie will freeze and be covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for one day or until it is thawed.Any dried beans like lentils or kidney beans will work when parbaking.You will have some leftover whipped cream.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, bringing them up to safer temperatures before adding to the whipped cream.