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My uncle told my mother that French silk pie had to come from the diner, because nobody could ever get it that smooth at home. She made one for his birthday, and he ate two slices before he would admit it. French silk pie is the chocolate pie that melts on your tongue the second it gets there. It is not a pudding and not quite a mousse, but something in between: rich, soft and smooth as satin, in a crisp crust, under a tall layer of whipped cream with chocolate curls on top.
The old diner recipes beat raw eggs into the filling. My mother never did, and neither do I. The eggs and sugar are whisked over simmering water until hot and thick, which makes them safe and also gives the filling more body. After that it comes down to temperature and time: the butter must be soft, the chocolate and the cooked eggs must be cooled, and everything must be beaten longer than seems sensible. Here is how to get it silky instead of grainy, every time.
Why this French silk pie works
- Cooked eggs. Whisking the eggs and sugar over simmering water to 160 degrees makes them safe and turns them thick and foamy, which lightens the filling.
- Long-beaten butter. Soft butter beaten for several minutes holds air, and air is what makes the texture silky instead of dense.
- Everything at the same temperature. Butter, chocolate and eggs all at cool room temperature blend into one smooth cream. Warm parts melt the butter; cold parts make it grainy.
- Two chocolates. Bittersweet chocolate gives the flavor and a little unsweetened chocolate gives the deep color and helps it set.
- A night in the refrigerator. The filling firms enough to cut cleanly but stays soft on the tongue.
Ingredients
Makes one 9 inch pie, about 8 slices. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the crust
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought (no brand needed)
For the filling
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (115g)
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (55g)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (170g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the topping
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream (360ml)
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A small bar of dark chocolate, for curls
The butter should be soft enough that your finger leaves a dent easily, but still cool and not greasy. Take it out of the refrigerator about an hour before you start. Use a good bar chocolate rather than chips, which contain stabilizers and do not melt as smoothly.
How to make French silk pie
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C). Line the pie crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and weights and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until deep golden all over. Cool completely.
- Melt the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate together in a bowl over barely simmering water, or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water), whisk the eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and salt together. Whisk constantly for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture is hot, thickened and reaches 160 degrees (71°C) on a thermometer.
- Take the bowl off the pan. Beat the egg mixture with a mixer on medium-high for 5 minutes, until it is thick, pale and cooled to room temperature. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the soft butter with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until very pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl twice.
- Beat in the cooled melted chocolate and the vanilla until smooth.
- With the mixer on medium, add the cooked egg mixture a large spoonful at a time, beating well after each one.
- When all the eggs are in, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the filling is lighter in color, fluffy and silky smooth. Rub a little between your fingers; there should be no grit.
- Spread the filling in the cooled crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Before serving, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks and pile it over the pie. Run a vegetable peeler down the side of the chocolate bar to make curls and scatter them on top.
Tips that make the difference
- If the filling looks grainy, the butter or chocolate was too cold. Warm the outside of the bowl for a few seconds with a hair dryer or a warm towel and keep beating.
- If it looks soupy, it was too warm. Refrigerate the bowl for 15 minutes, then beat again.
- Bake the crust fully. A pale crust turns soft under the filling.
- Wipe the knife clean between slices for neat edges.
Variations
- Cookie crust. Use a chocolate cookie crumb crust pressed into the pan and chilled instead of pastry.
- Mocha. Dissolve a teaspoon of instant coffee in the vanilla before adding it.
- Mini pies. Divide the filling among small tart shells for a party.
- Peppermint. Add 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract with the vanilla.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The whipped cream is best on the first day.
Freeze the pie without the whipped cream for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and top with fresh cream.
Let slices stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for the softest texture.
Frequently asked questions
Does French silk pie have raw eggs?
The traditional diner recipe did. This one cooks the eggs and sugar over simmering water to 160 degrees, which is the safe temperature, so there are no raw eggs.
Why is my French silk pie grainy?
The sugar did not dissolve or the parts were different temperatures. Dissolve the sugar in the cooked egg mixture, use soft butter and cooled chocolate, and beat longer.
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes. It is better made the day before. Add the whipped cream just before serving.
What is the difference between French silk pie and chocolate cream pie?
Chocolate cream pie has a cooked pudding filling thickened with cornstarch. French silk pie has a whipped butter and chocolate filling that is lighter and silkier.
Beat it longer than you think, chill it overnight, and set it on the table without a word. Let them ask which diner it came from.
French Silk Pie (Silky Chocolate Filling on a Cooked Egg Base, No Raw Eggs)
Old-fashioned French silk pie with a silky whipped chocolate filling made safely with cooked eggs, beaten with soft butter and melted chocolate, set in a crisp baked crust and topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A small bar of dark chocolate, for curls
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C). Line the pie crust with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake for 15 minutes. Lift out the paper and weights and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until deep golden all over. Cool completely.
- Melt the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate together in a bowl over barely simmering water, or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water), whisk the eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and salt together. Whisk constantly for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture is hot, thickened and reaches 160 degrees (71°C) on a thermometer.
- Take the bowl off the pan. Beat the egg mixture with a mixer on medium-high for 5 minutes, until it is thick, pale and cooled to room temperature. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the soft butter with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar on medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until very pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl twice.
- Beat in the cooled melted chocolate and the vanilla until smooth.
- With the mixer on medium, add the cooked egg mixture a large spoonful at a time, beating well after each one.
- When all the eggs are in, turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the filling is lighter in color, fluffy and silky smooth. Rub a little between your fingers; there should be no grit.
- Spread the filling in the cooled crust and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Before serving, whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks and pile it over the pie. Run a vegetable peeler down the side of the chocolate bar to make curls and scatter them on top.
