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French Silk Pie

Jul 7 2017 | By: Becky Diamond

This recipe has been one of my son’s favorites ever since he discovered it over four years ago in a cute kids cookbook he checked out of the school library called Cool Pies & Tarts. I had heard of French Silk Pie - perhaps on a restaurant menu or in a store, but didn't recall ever trying it. So I just assumed it would be similar to a chocolate mousse or chocolate cream pie. But this luscious dessert is even better. Delectable is really the best word to describe it. Smooth, creamy, rich - pure chocolate heaven. 

So of course I had to figure out the history of this incredible dessert! It is a fairly recent phenomenon which dates back to 1951 when Betty Cooper from Kensington, Maryland submitted her original recipe for French Silk Chocolate Pie and won the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. You can view this version on the Pillsbury website (the company says it is one of their "top 10 pies to try"). From there I guess it just took off, as a review of literature from the second half of the 20th century shows it popping up in cookbooks, magazines and newspapers, and more recently on blogs such as Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

One of the best things about this pie is that it is surprisingly easy to make and takes just a few ingredients. The original recipe says to use a regular pie crust, but the one in the kids cookbook suggested a vanilla wafer cookie crust, although we prefer graham cracker. As an FYI- it calls for four eggs that end up not being cooked and require 5 minutes of beating each (yes, a full 20 minutes total -this gives it that delicious ultra-creamy and whipped consistency). The recipe does specify pasteurized eggs (technically all egg products sold in the U.S. must be pasteurized due to the risk of food-borne illnesses), although many folks still might find using raw eggs problematic with various salmonella outbreaks. However, I honestly don't worry too much about that since I only buy organic, free-range eggs which pose much less of a risk. Also, folks that are very young, very old, pregnant or with comprised immune systems are more susceptible to issues with raw eggs, none of which fit our family demographic. (For those who are concerned, there are numerous French Silk Pie recipes that call for cooked eggs - here's one from Food.com, or just simply Google "French Silk Pie cooked" for others).
Here’s the recipe we use:

French Silk Pie

INGREDIENTS
For the pie crust

  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

For the Filling

  • 3 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 pasteurized eggs 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • whipped cream (optional)

    1. Place graham crackers in a gallon-size plastic zipper bag, seal and then roll over the bag with a rolling pin to crush into crumbs. (You could also pulverize them in a food processor, but kids find it fun to crush with the rolling pin).
    2. Mix the crumbs with the sugar, cinnamon and melted butter in a mixing bowl until well combined.
    3. Spread the crumb mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie pan, pressing firmly into the bottom and sides. Place the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling.
    4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Let cool to room temperature.
    5. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in the melted chocolate.
    6. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 5 minutes before adding each egg and scraping down the sides of the bowl every few minutes. (Do not skimp on the time for this - you will be well-rewarded for your patience!)
    7. Stir in the vanilla.
    8. Pour mixture into the prepared pie shell and chill for several hours

​           9. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and enjoy!!

Source: Cool Pies & Tarts by Pam Price 

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