It’s that wonderful time of year in the south when it’s just starting to feel like fall. The mornings are crisp and the afternoons are warm. This time of year I am excited to turn on my oven for a big baking project in the morning. Though find that come afternoon the sun is beaming down and I want something cool again. It’s on these days, when you are feeling ambitious and festive. That it is the perfect time to tackle a baking project like French Silk Pie that only requires a bit of oven work and a little ambition.
French Silk Pie is a decadent dessert that is an act of balance when executed well. We start off with a flaky and salty crust that provides a solid base. The pie shell is filled with a rich and decadent chocolate filling that is somehow both fluffy and dense in all the right ways. Then finished with pillows of a slightly sweet and salty whipped cream and shavings of chocolate right before serving.
This pie has a lot of steps and a good bit of dishes. But with some careful reading and setting out everything you need you will be set up for success. I believe in you, you’ve got this and you will be so proud of yourself in the end. Trust me this French Silk Pie will impress.
More recipes from the Match Maker.
While maybe not for beginners, this rich and decadent show stopper is sure to impress. Flakey crust and a rich chocolate filling with pillowy whipped cream.
- 1 stick salted butter cut into small pieces
- 4 ounces cream cheese cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 200 g heavy cream
- 200 g dark chocolate important to use bars not chips
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 175 g granulated sugar
- 13 tbsp salted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g heavy cream
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
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Blend together the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until completely blended together.
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Mix in flour and salt until just combined. Form dough into a flat cylinder, wrap in plastic and chill at least an hour or overnight.
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Preheat oven to 375. Roll out dough and line a 9" pie pan with the crust crimping the edges, chill for at least 30 mins while the oven preheats.
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When ready to bake, place a sheet of parchment in the unbaked crust and use pie weight or dry beans to weigh it down and help hold it's shape. Bake until golden brown, you may need to remove the beans part way through cooking so that the bottom can brown. Set aside to cool.
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Whip the cream from the filling portion by hand with a whisk or with the whisk attachment on a stand mixer until medium – stiff peaks form. Set aside in the fridge.
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Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave until just melted. Set aside to cool at room temperature.
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Whisk together the eggs and half the sugar in a metal bowl (preferably a stand mixer bowl) set over a pot of simmering water. Do not let the water surface touch the bottom of the bowl and whisk continuously until the mixture reaches 160 degrees. This may take about 10 minutes. Once it comes to temperature take the bowl to the mixer and with the whisk attachment whip until cooled to about body temperature. At this point we want to slowly add the melted chocolate whisking just until completely combined. Set aside.
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In another bowl cream together the butter, vanilla and the remining sugar until light and fluffy, as if you were making cookies. This should take at least 2 minutes. With the mixer on low add in the cooled chocolate and egg mixture. Once it is all added whip until completely combined. Now, using a rubber spatula fold the whipped cream that we placed in the fridge earlier into this mixture.
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Spread the filling into the cooled pie crust and cover wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill the pie in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
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Whip the cream, sugar, salt and vanilla until medium peaks form and spread over the top of the chilled pie filling. For extra decoration you may also want to shave some chocolate curls on top form a bar of chocolate using a vegetable peeler. Dig in, you earned it.
This recipe is a little ambitious but if you read everything ahead and have all your ingredients and equipment laid out from the start you will be set up for success. This pie is certainly rich but the slightly salty whipped cream and barely sweet crust help to bring it all into balance. If your looking for a big baking project this is it. Enjoy the process and the pie!
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