Luscious and light, French Silk Pie has a surprising American backstory.
With a name like French silk pie, you might conjure up images of enjoying a slice at a Parisian sidewalk café, with the Eiffel Tower looming in the distance. However, this is an all-American recipe with a fancy French name. French silk pie is named for its mousse-like (read: French) texture and elegant presentation. The recipe has its roots in mid-century home cooking, as it was a Pillsbury Bake-Off winner in 1951, and gained popularity in American kitchens throughout the 1950s.
French silk pie is far from a quaint, happy homemaker recipe, however. It’s a delicious, make-ahead dessert that will especially delight chocolate lovers. It starts with the crust, which is a chocolate sandwich cookie-crumb crust. Then, the light and luscious filling: thanks to the eggs, extended mixing time, and incorporation of whipped cream, it’s decadent without being dense. Magical!
You will love French silk pie for special occasions or as a lovely ending to a holiday meal. Because it requires at least six hours of chill time, it’s a great make-ahead when you’re busy prepping other dishes for the meal. This is a restaurant-level dessert that you can enjoy at home, and leftovers keep very well (if there are any!). Get to know the rich chocolate flavor and silky texture of French silk pie.
How to melt and cool chocolate
In the ingredients list below, you need to melt eight ounces of bittersweet baking chocolate and let it cool before incorporating it into the pie filling mixture. So what’s the best way to do this? While tradition might hold that you need a double boiler, your microwave is actually the easiest and simplest way to melt the chocolate. Just break the eight ounces of chocolate into chunks, place in a medium bowl, and microwave in 30-second bursts, stopping to stir in between. Once the large chunks have melted, stir until you get a velvety texture. Cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
How do I store leftovers?
Unlike fruit pies, French silk pie keeps very well for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. Additionally, you can freeze it! Double wrap in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or set out at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving. Another idea for storing leftovers: freeze individual slices. That way, you can enjoy a single serving anytime you get a hankering for a rich chocolate treat.
Serving suggestions
To serve, top with chocolate curls (use your grater or a handheld peeler to make them). Since the pie is served cold, you don’t really need ice cream along with it, but in our house, ice cream always seems to go with pie or cake. Try a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or chocolate chip ice cream next to your slice. If you’re serving with other desserts for a large gathering, consider other make-aheads that complement French silk pie well. For instance, you could do a chocolate-vanilla-strawberry theme. You’ve got the French silk pie for chocolate, along with Vanilla Pudding and Strawberry Tiramisu. Everyone’s happy!
French Silk Pie
Ingredients
- 20 chocolate sandwich cookies
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate melted and cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups heavy cream cold
- 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream cold, for whipped topping
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for whipped topping
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract for whipped topping
- Chocolate shavings optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the cookies in a food processor and blend until finely ground. Add the salt and melted butter and pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes or until the crust is set and fragrant. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small saucepan, whisk the granulated sugar and eggs together. Set the pan over medium-low heat and stir constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F on a candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat, then stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract until smooth. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until the mix is light and glossy.
- Separately, whip the 1 1/3 cups heavy cream with 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until well combined. Pour the filling into the cooled cookie crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Cover the pie and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to set.
- Just before serving, make the topping: whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe the whipped topping over the pie and garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.
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