French Silk Pie

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This classic French silk pie reminds me of the pies my great-grandpa used to pick up from Baker’s square. The rich chocolate filling is topped with plenty of whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a special dessert that always brings big smiles to our faces.

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 that brings back great memories for my family.

Of course, if you start making them they can be a fabulous memory for your family moving forward too. There is something about great food and family traditions that withstand the test of time.

Great Grandpa and His Mystery Pies

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. 😉

About the Eggs

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 that is something to keep in mind.

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.

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.

There are tutorials for pasteurizing eggs at home too. You can certainly give that a go if you would like.

How to Prevent A Grainy Filling

The chocolate filling in French silk pie gets its sweetness from granulated sugar. Because of this, some people have trouble with still having a little bit of a grainy texture.

Luckily there are few tips to avoid this problem.

Start by making sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. That not only makes them mix together more easily and prevents clumps of butter, but it allows them to absorb the sugar more readily.

The sugar will dissolve into the moisture of the filling more easily if they it isn’t too cold. Once your temperature is right, make sure you mix it for a nice long time.

This not only aerates the filling and keeps it from being to dense, but it gives the sugar more chance to dissolve. So, don’t shortchange the mixing time.

Lastly, make this pie a day in advance. Letting the pie chill overnight is the final step in ensuring a smooth and creamy filling.

When you taste the filling straight from the bowl, don’t despair if there is a tiny bit of grainy texture still. It will melt away if you just give it a plenty of time.

While this may sound like a lot, it really is a pretty easy filling to put together. And I am quite sure it is worth putting in the effort.

Every time I make this pie it gets rave reviews. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between chocolate cream pie and French silk pie?

Chocolate cream pie has a pudding like filling. It is usually cooked on the stovetop and then poured into the crust. If you want a recipe like that, try my chocolate pudding pie.

French silk pie, on the other hand, has a more airy filling. It has more of a chocolate mousse texture than pudding. However, the filling of this old-fashioned French silk pie is made quite differently than a mousse would be.

Does French silk pie contain raw eggs?

This classic recipe for French silk pie does contain raw eggs. That is the traditional way to make the filling.

However, you can minimize the risk by using pasteurized eggs or pasteurizing your own eggs.

More Favorite Chocolate Desserts

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!

For another family favorite, make French butter cake with fudge frosting. My great-grandma always made one for my mom’s birthday growing up and it still has a special place in her heart.

What are your family favorite chocolate recipes? There are just so many tasty ways to use chocolate!

Old-Fashioned French Silk Pie

Servings: 12 Servings

Author: Carlee

This French silk pie recipe reminds me of the pies my great grandpa used to pick up from Baker's square. The rich chocolate filling is topped with plenty of whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a special dessert that always brings big smiles to our faces.

4.80 from 15 ratings

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Equipment

• KitchenAid  5-Qt. Stand Mixer 
• Pie Weights
• OXO Non-stick Rolling Pin

Ingredients

 

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• 1 pie crust
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs pasteurized if possible
• Optional: whipped cream and chocolate shavings for topping

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Instructions

 

• Fit the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Dock the bottom, and fill with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake according to the recipe or package directions for a fully baked crust. Set aside to cool.
  1 pie crust
• Melt chocolate in a small bowl and set aside to cool
  2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• Place room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla into stand mixer bowl. Use the whisk attachment to beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes.
  1 cup unsalted butter, 1½ cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 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.
  4 large eggs
• 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, but overnight is preferred.
• Top with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.

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!

Ideally you want to make this pie a day ahead of time. That gives any graininess in the filling a chance to dissolve and get smoother. 

The eggs in this recipe are not cooked. If that concerns you, you can use pasteurized eggs or pasteurize your own eggs.

Do not use margarine or tubs of butter. You need to use real stick butter in this recipe.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 4gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 207mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“Cooking With Carlee” is not a dietitian or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

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