I love, love, LOVE chocolate! Some may say that I’m addicted, but I don’t know about that. What I do know is that I absolutely love it. It tastes so good, and it has such a wonderful texture. My mouth loves how it feels, and I love how it tastes. Is that an addiction or just a preference?
Either way, this French Silk Pie is my favorite pie. It’s a smooth and light chocolate filling containing a wonderful surprise. The crust is lined with a thin layer of chocolate ganache. That extra boost takes this beauty from the category of AMAZING to something even better. (perhaps ASTRONOMICALLY INCREDIBLE, or something equivalent, but I’m not sure I can name all the categories.)
Now, if you aren’t as committed to your relationship with chocolate as I, you could skip the ganache layer (GASP, I can’t believe I even said that!) and keep things casual. You can also control the chocolate intensity by going full-throttle and using unsweetened chocolate, or tempering it and using semi-sweet. It all depends on what kind of a chocolate experience you’re after.
The sooner we start, the sooner you’ll be enjoying this incredible French Silk Pie, so …
Easy Step-By-Step Instructions for French Silk Pie
You can use a frozen crust, refrigerated crust, or try this delicious and easy recipe to make your own.
Bake and completely cool one pie crust.
Chop, and place in a small mixing bowl:
2 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate
Heat just to boiling:
1/3 cup heavy cream
Pour hot cream over chocolate, but DO NOT stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.
Now stir until smooth.
Pour the ganache into cooled crust, and spread evenly across bottom and up sides.
Place in fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Meanwhile, work on the filling, keeping this in mind. Unsweetened chocolate increases the intensity of the chocolate flavor. If you want less intensity, substitute semi-sweet for unsweetened, and reduce sugar by 1/4 cup per ounce of chocolate. For example: 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate uses 1 cup sugar … 2 ounces unsweetened and 1 ounce semi-sweet uses 3/4 cup sugar … 1 ounce unsweetened and 2 ounces semi-sweet uses 1/2 cup sugar, etc.
In microwave, on high, melt:
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (or 2 ounces unsweetened and 1 ounce semi-sweet, etc.)
I do this in 30 second intervals, and stir in-between each.
It takes about 3 minutes. Set aside.
In small saucepan, combine:
1 cup sugar (or correct amount depending upon which chocolate you’re using)
3 large eggs
Blend with a whisk.
Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until …
… the mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
It will coat the back of a metal spoon like this.
Remove from heat.
Stir in
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
and melted chocolate Then …
… allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. (This should take about an hour.)
In bowl of stand mixer, combine cooled chocolate/egg mixture with
½ cup butter, softened
Beat on high for 5 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl frequently. If mixture starts to heat up, place in fridge for 15 minutes after beating. Then beat, again, for another minute.
In a separate bowl, beat until partially set:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Add
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
Finish beating until stiff.
Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture.
It should look like this.
Pour into ganache-lined crust.
Smooth out, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.
Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.
GORGEOUS!
Slice, and serve.
You can see that lovely ganache.
Yum … yum … yum … yum … yum … yum … yum …
YUM!
Free Printable Recipe for French Silk Pie
- 2 ounces good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate (or 2 ounces unsweetened and 1 ounce semi-sweet, etc)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
- Whipped cream and chocolate shavings, optional for garnish
- 1 pie crust, baked
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a small mixing bowl. Heat cream just to boil, then pour over chocolate. DO NOT stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Then stir until smooth. Pour into cooled crust, and spread evenly across bottom and up sides. Place in fridge for 30 minutes to set.
- Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals on high. Stir between each interval. It should take about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- In small saucepan, combine sugar and eggs, and blend with a whisk. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F. It will coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla, and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. (This should take about an hour.)
- In bowl of stand mixer, combine butter with chocolate/egg mixture, and beat on high for 5 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl frequently. If mixture starts to heat up, place in fridge for 15 minutes after beating.
- In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream until partially set. Add confectioner’s sugar, and finish beating until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture.
- Pour into crust. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.