Rich French Silk Pie
Rich French Silk Pie is decadently chocolatey and feels luxurious with each bite. From the Oreo crust, to the mousse-like filling, and the vanilla-spiked whipped cream, this entirely made-from-scratch pie is the perfect dessert for special occasions like birthdays, Valentine's Day, and Thanksgiving.
Servings: 1 9-inch pie
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 18 (205 grams) Oreos don't remove the filling
- 3 Tablespoons (42 grams) butter melted
For the Filling:
- 1 cup (240 grams) heavy cream
- 226 grams bittersweet chocolate baking bars* finely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
For Topping:
- 1 ½ cups (360 grams) heavy cream
- 3 Tablespoons (12 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. In the bowl of a food processor, place the Oreos. Pulse until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 12 minutes, or until set. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the Filling:
- Before you begin: Be sure to read this section through completely before beginning. There are a lot of steps, and it'll feel easier to follow if you're familiar with the steps before beginning.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, place about an inch of water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, place the eggs and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine. Place over the simmering water, avoiding the surface of the simmering water touching the bottom of the bowl. Whisk constantly until the mixture is slightly lightened in color and registers 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer. This typically takes me about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, carefully wipe the bottom dry, and place on a heatproof surface. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- While the egg mixture cools: In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, place the chopped chocolate. Microwave on half power, stirring frequently, until melted. Set aside.
- Once the egg mixture has cooled slightly, whisk in the melted chocolate. Set aside to cool completely. I typically place this on a heatproof trivet in the fridge to speed up cooling. We can't use this mixture until it's about 68°F / 20°C. This is vital - see Notes below.
- While the chocolate mixture cools: In a large, deep bowl (or the tall jug that comes with an immersion blender), whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Place in the fridge, avoiding contact with the warm egg/chocolate mixture.
- In a large bowl, place the softened butter. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat well until smooth, creamy, and slightly lightened in color - about 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and the paddle/beaters too.
- Once the egg/chocolate mixture has cooled, add the egg/chocolate mixture to the creamed butter. Beat on low to combine, then increase to medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is completely combined, smooth, creamy, and slightly lightened in color. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, to ensure everything is well combined.
- Using the same spatula, fold in the whipped cream until combined.
- Transfer to the cooled crust, smoothing out the top. Place plastic wrap against the surface so it's directly in contact, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Top and Finish the Pie:
- In a large, deep bowl (or the tall jug that comes with an immersion blender), place the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip the heavy cream to medium peaks (a little firmer than soft peaks but not as firm as stiff peaks).
- Use a spatula to smooth the whipped cream across the top of the pie, stopping about an inch from the edge for prettiest appearance. Finish with chocolate curls, additional crushed Oreos, or fresh strawberries. Serve, or store uncovered for a few hours before serving.
Notes
The Chocolate: I don't recommend using chocolate chips for best results, but they'll work in a pinch. Using high-quality chocolate will give you the smoothest, richest pie filling. I typically use Ghirardelli bittersweet baking bars.
Cooling the Egg/Chocolate Mixture: Cooling this mixture is vital to the pie's success, so DO NOT rush this. Placing the mixture in the fridge is fine, but don't be tempted to place it in the freezer, or use it while at all still warm. Adding warm egg/chocolate mixture to the butter will melt the butter, causing a gritty texture that won't set properly, and the pie won't be creamy or mousse-like. Trust me, it's worth waiting for this to be room temp or cool. 68°F / 20°C is perfect (don't go much colder than this, though, or the butter will firm back up too much!).
Whipping the Cream: I love using my immersion blender here. It avoids mess, the tall, slim jug it comes with is easier to place in the fridge as it takes up less room, and it's one less bowl you need (if you don't own a ton of bowls). This is the immersion blender I have, and it's still going strong 13 years later - but much cheaper models are available and I'm sure they work just fine.
The Pie Pan: This is my go-to pie pan for any pie topped with whipped cream! I love that it comes with a lid, so you can easily store leftovers without ruining the pretty whipped cream.
Chocolate Curls: You don't have to top your French Silk Pie with chocolate curls, but it definitely adds a layer of drama to this centerpiece dessert. Here's a great how-to on making chocolate curls.
Recipe inspired by Sally's Baking Addiction.