Classic French Silk Pie
The Pie That Tastes Like Chocolate Mousse in a Crust
French silk pie has a simple promise. It should be smooth, rich, and cool. This one delivers all three.
The filling is light but deeply chocolatey. It melts on your tongue. A cloud of vanilla whipped cream sits on top, and milk chocolate curls finish it off. It looks fancy. It is much easier than it seems.
It also needs time in the fridge, which makes it perfect for holidays. Make it a day ahead and spend the big day with your guests.
Start With the Chocolate Crust
The base is the flaky chocolate pie crust from this blog. It adds a second layer of cocoa flavor under the filling.
Blind baking keeps the crust crisp. Line the dough with parchment, then fill it with uncooked rice. The weight stops the crust from puffing up while it bakes. Bake it until the center looks set, about twenty to twenty-five minutes.
Let the crust cool completely before you fill it. A warm crust will melt the filling and make it soggy.
Why the Eggs Are Cooked
Traditional French silk pie uses raw eggs. This recipe does not.
You whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Keep whisking until the mixture reaches 160°F. This step makes the eggs safe to eat. It also gives the filling a thicker, silkier texture.
Use a thermometer for the best results. Whisk the whole time so the eggs do not scramble. Then let the mixture cool for ten minutes before you add anything else.
Two Chocolates Make a Better Filling
This pie uses both dark and milk chocolate. Each one plays a different role.
Dark chocolate brings deep, bittersweet flavor. Milk chocolate adds sweetness and a softer, creamier taste. Together they taste balanced, not too bitter and not too sweet.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in thirty-second bursts. Stir between each round. Once the egg mixture has cooled, whisk the chocolate in slowly until the filling is smooth.
Getting That Silky Texture
Texture is the whole point of this pie. A few small steps protect it.
First, beat the room temperature butter until it is light and fluffy. Then pour in the chocolate mixture on low speed.
Next, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold it into the filling by hand. Use slow, gentle strokes. Folding keeps the air in the cream, and that air is what makes the filling feel light.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.
Top It Right Before Serving
Wait to add the whipped cream until you are ready to serve. Whisk the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe it over the pie.
For the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler on a milk chocolate bar. Milk chocolate curls more easily than dark. Let the bar sit at room temperature for a few minutes first if the curls keep breaking.
Slice with a sharp knife. Wipe the blade clean between cuts for neat slices.
Classic French Silk Pie
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
FOR THE FILLING
- 6 oz Dark Chocolate
- 4 oz Milk Chocolate
- 160 g Granulated Sugar
- 4 Eggs (room temperature)
- 185 g Butter (room temperature)
- 230 g Heavy Cream
- 10 g Vanilla Bean Paste
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- 360 g Heavy Cream
- 25 g Powdered Sugar
- 10 g Vanilla Bean Paste
- Milk Chocolate Bar (for the chocolate curl topping)
Instructions
- Roll out and blind bake your chocolate crust in a pie dish for 20-25 minutes, until it is fully set in the center. Before baking, add parchment paper to the center of the pie and fill it with uncooked rice to keep the crust from puffing up. Once baked, allow it to cool completely.
- Prepare your filling. In a heat safe bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Whisk to combine, then place the bowl on top of a sauce pan with boiling water inside (double boiling). Whisk the eggs constantly until they reach 160°F. Let this mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- Melt the dark and milk chocolate using the microwave in 30 second increments. After the egg mixture has cooled, slowly whisk the chocolate in until smooth. Set aside to cool for another 10 minutes.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk the heavy cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form (I use an electric hand mixer for this).
- Once the butter is fluffy, slowly pour in the chocolate mixture with the mixer on a low speed. Once combined and smooth, gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture by hand, careful not to knock the air out of the cream.
- Fill the cooled pie crust with the silky chocolate filling. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to cool for at least 4 hours, or up to 48 hours.
- When you’re ready to serve the pie, prepare your whipped cream by whisking the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add this whipped cream to the top of the pie. Then, using a vegetable peeler, add milk chocolate shavings to the top of the pie. Milk chocolate is ideal for this because it curls easily. Enjoy!
