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French Silk Pie

Thanks for sharing!

This pie is creamy, luscious, rich and popular every time I make it! Full of chocolaty french silk filling and topped with whipped cream, it is a favorite and so full of memories!

close up of a slice missing out of a chocolate french silk pie

This french silk pie recipe is exactly what you would expect.  It has a flaky crust, a super creamy chocolate filling, whipped cream and shaved chocolate on top. 

Taking a bite of this pie is like taking a bite of a rich chocolate cloud.  It is a showstopper dessert steeped in history!

As far as I know,  my Great-Grandpa “Buck” never made a French Silk Pie.  But, I can’t imagine there ever being a time where a french silk pie doesn’t remind me of him.

When most of MiMi’s family still lived in the Chicago area, Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw used to host Sunday dinners.  I was young, but still do have some memories of the house and the weekly ritual.

They had a strawberry shortcake toy in the closet upstairs that I liked to play with and a putting green in the backyard.  Yes, you read that right.

They had their very own practice green… in the backyard.  But that is unrelated to the pie.

On Sundays we would all get together for a big family meal.  Great-Grandpa Buck would always stop by Baker’s Square and pick up a pie.

Part of the fun was guessing what kind of pie it was.  If there was an extra slice of pie after everyone ate, the one who guessed the kind correctly first got first dibs.

My first guess was always french silk!  I suppose that was mostly wishful thinking!

mixer bowl filled ingredients for french silk pie with melted chocolate nearby.

It isn’t a pie you hear about all that often, but it is one that brings back good memories.  There are raw eggs in this recipe, so please be careful.

I grew up licking the bowl and eating cookie dough, so I don’t tend to shy away from raw eggs (except while I was pregnant, you can never be too careful).

But, it is good to be aware.  Out of an abundance of caution (and as proof of my self-sacrificing ways) I made my pie the day before and licked the bowl.  

It’s a hard job, but somebody has to do it.

mixer bowl filled with creamy chocolate pie filling.

Of course you can minimize the risk by using pasteurized eggs.  I was lucky enough to have a fridge full of MiMi’s farm fresh eggs, so I used a few of them with no problem.

The key to getting this filling right is not shortcutting the mixing time.  Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature before you start and beat the daylights out of them.

You don’t only want to whip air into the filling, but you also want to give the sugar plenty of time to dissolve so it won’t be gritty.

slice of french silk pie served on white plate with remaining pie in background.

Every time I make this pie it gets rave reviews. 

Or you may want to try my great-grandma’s german chocolate cake.  It has an unexpected twist with a broiled coconut frosting that you should definitely check out!

What are your favorite chocolate desserts?  Or what pie would be your hopeful first guess?

Chocolate french silk pie with whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top, one slice missing.

French Silk Pie

Carlee
This pie is creamy, luscious, rich and popular every time I make it! Full of chocolaty french silk filling and topped with whipped cream, it is a favorite and so full of memories!
4.67 from 9 ratings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 379 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pie crust
  • ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • Optional: whipped cream and chocolate shavings for topping

Instructions
 

  • Pre-bake your pie crust according to recipe directions and cool.
  • Melt chocolate chips and then set aside to cool
  • Place room temperature butter into stand mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, incorporate the sugar and vanilla until smooth.
  • Set your mixer to medium speed and get ready to add the eggs one at a time. After each egg, let the mixer for for 4-5 minutes before you add the next egg. So this whole process will take somewhere between 15 and 20 minutes.
  • Make sure the chocolate is cooled but not hardened, then add to the butter mixture. Beat until well combined. By the end you will have a light and fluffy, smooth and creamy chocolaty pillow of goodness.
  • Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for at least two hours

Notes

You certainly want to store this pie in the refrigerator. However, it has a better texture for eating if it has had a chance to sit out for 10-15 minutes. It gives it a softer texture. Yum!

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 207mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32g
Tried this recipe?Mention @carleecooks or tag #cookingwcarlee!
This pie is creamy, luscious, rich and popular every time I make it! Full of chocolaty french silk filling and topped with whipped cream, it is a favorite and so full of memories!

Thanks for sharing!

Recipe Rating




Bridget Hujara

Monday 13th of November 2023

This has absolutely amazing flavor but it is so grainy.. I followed the recipe exactly. Any tips?

Carlee

Monday 13th of November 2023

It takes a LOT of mixing to get the sugar to dissolve into the butter mixture. It would be interesting to try to come up with ways to dissolve the sugar a bit before adding it and see how that works.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com

Friday 1st of February 2019

Love the family photo and story, Carlee! I have a friend who loves French Silk Pie, so I'll pass this along to her.

Carlee

Tuesday 12th of February 2019

Thank you and I hope she loves it!

Frugal Hausfrau

Friday 23rd of February 2018

Oh Carlee, one of my fave pies, and my son is wild about it! My recipe's close, and uses the four eggs, too! Gorgeous pics, too!

Carlee

Saturday 24th of February 2018

Thank you! My husband is still talking about this one!

Carlee

Saturday 10th of February 2018

Thank you so much!

juliepollitt

Wednesday 7th of February 2018

I could eat a lot of this! Looks delish!!

Carlee

Saturday 10th of February 2018

Thank you!