Rich and decadent, French Silk Pie is sure to be on the top of any chocolate lovers dessert list.
Growing up, for most of my adolescent and early adult years, my aunt would make me a French Silk pie on my birthday. It is one of my cherished memories and still remains one of my favorite desserts to this day.
This pie is rich and decadent. Easy enough to bring to the table. Perfect for any special occasion or holiday feast. Ok, let’s be honest, it’s perfect for the casual days at home too. Chances are, if you’re like me, you can’t say no to delicious chocolate.
Preparing the Pie Crust
Begin by preparing a 9 inch pie crust. You can choose to make one from scratch or buy one. Bake it according to directions, and allow to cool. This can be done hours ahead of making the pie, and since this pie is a cold uncooked pie, there’s no need to keep the oven warm.
The French Silk Pie Filling
Next, prepare the filling in a stand mixer, or with beaters. Be sure to get it nice and fluffy for a most decadent pie. Transfer the filling to your prepared crust.
Finishing Touches
I like to top my pies with fresh whipped cream, but a whipped topping purchased from the store will also do the trick, or you can leave it off all together. This pie will still taste great without it. You can find my recipe here: Fresh Whipped Cream
Don’t forget to refrigerate overnight for best taste and texture. Keep leftovers, in the fridge too.
Egg Alternatives
My original french silk pie recipe, the one handed down from my aunt, called for refrigerated egg product, or even frozen (but thawed) eggs. I, however, have an abundance of eggs fresh from our hens, and after doing some research have come to the conclusion that I am comfortable using our fresh-that-day raw eggs in this pie. Some may choose to home pasteurize their eggs to reduce risk of illness, but from my understanding, to get the eggs hot enough to kill Salmonella the egg would have reach 160 F degrees (not the 140 F that is recommended for home pasteurizing). Unfortunately, at that temperature the egg would cook solid. That just isn’t going to work for making pie.
Subsequently, the statistical probability of getting an egg with Salmonella is around 1 in 10,000-20,000 eggs, and usually that’s from the shell being contaminated, not the edible egg itself. That means you would have to eat 3 raw eggs every day for 10-20 years to come across one that could make you sick. I’m going to assume my chicken coop fresh eggs are even cleaner and safer than those from a store, and with the added precaution of a good washing, I use them raw in this recipe. However, you’ll have to do the research and make the call for yourself.
Are you ready to make a french silk pie for yourself? Print off the recipe below, and be sure to take a picture and tag @lifeonknoll22 on your favorite social media platforms.
French Silk Pie
Rich and decadent, French Silk Pie is sure to top any chocolate lovers dessert list. This recipe offers the option for using whole eggs.
- 1 9 inch pie crust (baked and cooled)
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips (melted and cooled slightly)
- 3 whole eggs or 3/4 cup refrigerated egg product
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- chocolate curls (to garnish)
In a stand mixer, beat sugar and butter, until fluffy, 4-5 minutes
Meanwhile, melt and cool the chocolate. Start by measuring one cup of chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. I melt mine by microwaving in a glass measuring cup using 10-15 second blasts, stirring each time. Cool but don't allow to solidify. You could also use a double boiler, or a glass bowl set over a kettle of simmering water, to melt the chocolate. Keep in mind, the melted volume of chocolate may be less than one cup.
Next, stir the cooled melted chocolate and vanilla into the butter mixture.
With the mixer on high speed, add the eggs, scraping down the bowl regularly. Continue to beat until mixture is light and fluffy.
Finally, transfer the filling to the cooled crust. Use a spatula to evenly fill the crust and smooth the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in a refrigerator overnight
To garnish your pie, place heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high until stiff beaks form. Spread onto the chilled french silk pie using a knife or spatula, OR use a large pastry bag and decorative tip to pipe the whipped cream for an extra fancy result. Add chocolate curls, if desired.
Keep refridgerated.
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