French in the name but American all the way
Smooth as silk
Chocolate Silk Pie is one of those classic 50s desserts that have easily stood the test of time. Rich chocolate filling and whipped cream make just about the best pairing ever.
How they differ is mostly in procedure. The ingredients are almost identical, but the how is the big change. A change made, frankly, to accommodate a kitchen staff not quite up to the rigors of making a sabayon.
An American Classic
A classic way to make this pie is a hard thing to find. It was invented in 1951 but quickly morphed from the pudding based filling to a mousse type filling. The mousse texture spawned the name, French Silk. But, this is an American classic through and through. Food conscious cooks, worried about raw eggs, will prefer the first recipe in which the eggs are cooked. No raw eggs here.
I have two versions and both are quite rich. Both use the same ingredients but in a different procedure, so a different result. For you food scientists, this is an interesting example of how variations on a theme can exist.
What’s different
Compared to some recipes I reviewed, this is a richer pie. It has more eggs and some coffee and a bit more chocolate, so of course that makes it better!
The principle difference in procedure is the first pie method is similar to a sabayon. That is the cooking of eggs and sugar (for Sabayon proper, some alcohol too. White wine or cognac or Marsala or sherry is a post for another day, but any of those are a good start for a proper sabayon.)
Steam and centrifugal force make mixing a sabayon a challenge, and that is the reason I developed the alternative. No steam burns. Also, determining the doneness of the eggs while getting a cramp and steamed can be too much.
If you’ve the inclination and ability to do so, your efforts will be well rewarded.
The alternate version is a tad less airy, but really, if you don’t tell neither will I and no one will know. Shh.
The crust
What is known about how this pie was invented is the flaky pie crust.
I am 100% a cook who thinks a 500 year-old recipe is superior to a 200 year-old recipe. However, I’ve often thought this pie would benefit from a graham cracker crust. You decide: it’s your pie.
Flaky pie crust
Butter is the key. And procedure. And cold liquid. And procedure. And patience.
There actually is a method, sometimes called “the secret” to making excellent pie dough. Imma gonna give it to you.
For rolling, take care to keep the pin on the dough and not roll off the edge onto the counter. That pinches the dough and makes it not play nice when it bakes. For a good feel on the dough I prefer a French style pin. I like the handles pins for croissants or puff pastry.
Pie Dough
Pie, quiche, pop-tarts or something else, this is the best and easiest recipe I've found.
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 245 g All purpose flour
- 17 g Granulated sugar
- 7 g Salt
- 228 g Unsalted butter, diced small, frozen
- 2 each Egg yolks
- 51 g Cold whole milk
Instructions
Mix the pie dough
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Mix the egg yolks and milk together.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the dry ingredients and butter. Paddle for about 1 minute. You want the butter to start to mix into the flour. It's necessary for small bits of butter to remain.
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Add the egg yolk/milk mixture and paddle on low for 10 seconds or so. The goal is to incorporate the milk, but just barely. The real mixing, and the development of the dough, comes next.
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Scoop out the dough onto a counter top. Bunch the crumbly looking dough into a pile and start at the top of the pile, push down and away into the dough. Repeat this process.
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In between pushes, gather the dough back into a pile. As you work, the dough will start to come together and be the dough you are looking for. When it is combined, stop.
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If you are making pies and know the diameter, measure 1 ounce of dough for every inch wide the pan. 10 inch pie pans get 10 oz of dough. Scale those portions, round them on the counter and wrap in plastic wrap. Store in the cooler for at least 4 hours, but overnight if possible.
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Congratulations! You’ve just made pie dough.
Here is a video I made showing the production of pie dough
Recipe Notes
This recipe can easily be increased.
The ratios given, 1 oz per inch of round pie pan, is a save guide but will result in excess. Little is more aggravating to pie bakers than too little pie dough. The fix is more frustrating than excess pie dough. Trust me.
Brush the trimmed bits with milk and dust with cinnamon sugar and bake them for treats or make designs on top of your pie crust.
I’m no fan of glass baking dishes. I’ve never had one item which didn’t stick. I know some people love them, but I don’t. I prefer metal. This kind. I know what it’ll do and it won’t do, which is break if dropped. This is one of my affiliates, which means when you purchase this pan, I earn a commission at no cost to you.
Crestware Pie Pan PP09 – $2.37
from: ABestKitchen
French Silk Pie: Classic version
A bit more effort than the amended version but worth that if you can do it. A bit of a workout and the steam can be hot.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 each Eggs
- 1/2 C Granulated sugar
- 1/4 C Granulated sugar
- 2 T Strong coffee or espresso
- 1.25 Sticks Unsalted butter, room temperature 5 oz
- 1/4 t salt
- 3 oz Bittersweet chocolate Between 78-85%
- 7 ml Vanilla A medicine cup is perfect
Topping ingredients
- 1 C Heavy cream
- 1 T Granulated sugar
- Chocolate shavings or jimmies
Instructions
Prepare an 8 or 9 inch pie shell. Blind bake to fully done. Cool.
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Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over a double boiler to just melted. Remove to the counter to rest. Alternatively, you may use the microwave, 5-10 seconds at a time.
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Create a double boiler with a medium pot filled with 2 inches of water and a metal bowl which fits nicely on top. Turn the burner to medium high. Place the eggs and the 1/2 C of sugar and coffee into the bowl and whisk to combine.
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When the water is steaming, place the bowl over the top of the pot. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk the egg mixture over the steam, making sure to incorporate all the eggs from the sides of the bowl. Whisk at a brisk pace until the eggs start to thicken.
When you remove the whisk and see the egg mixture sitting a bit on top of itself and leave a trail in the eggs in the bowl, then you are done. Remove from the heat, whisking for a minute afterward to prevent the eggs from coagulating on the sides of the bowl.
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While the egg mixture cools, paddle the butter and sugar and salt until fluffy and pale. Add the melted cooled chocolate and paddle to mix. Add the egg mixture and paddle again to thick and fluffy.
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Add the filling mixture to the prepared pie shell. Spread the filling evenly along the bottom to the edges of the crust. Cover the filling with plastic and chill while making the whipped cream topping.
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Whip the heavy cream on medium speed with the stand mixer or by hand. When the cream starts to gain volume, add the sugar and finish whipping slowly and steadily until fully whipped.
Spread on top of the chocolate filling, mounding the cream in the center and smoothing toward the pie shell. Top with grated chocolate bits or chocolate jimmies.
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Allow the pie to chill several hours before slicing. You may wait to top just before service. The important part is letting the filling set up.
French Silk Pie: Alternative Version
This is a bit easier, and no steam. That makes it a good recipe for the kids to help you make.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 each Eggs, separated
- 1/2 C Granulated sugar, for egg yolks
- 1/4 C Granulated sugar, for egg whites
- 1 oz Strong coffee
- 1.25 Sticks Unsalted butter, room temperature 5 oz
- 1/4 t Salt
- 3 oz Bittersweet chocolate between 78-85%
- 7 ml Vanilla extract A medicine cup is perfect
Topping
- 1 C Heavy cream
- 1 T Granulated sugar
- Chocolate shavings or jimmies
Instructions
Pie shell
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Prepare a pie shell in an 8 or 9 inch pan. Blind bake the shell to completely done. Allow to cool at room temperature while the filling is made.
Assemble the filling
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In a bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together to just melted. Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature.
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Whip the egg whites in the mixing bowl at slow speed, to start. Turn the speed to medium and sprinkle in the 1/4 C of sugar. Turn the mixer to full speed and whip the whites to medium-stiff peaks. Transfer the whites to a clean bowl for later use.
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Whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 C of sugar in the same bowl of a stand mixer. Beat them until very thick and pale yellow. Add the coffee, the vanilla, and the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Stir with whisk attachment to incorporate and scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber scraper.
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Re-whip the whites to bring them to stiff peaks. Add a small portion of the whites to the chocolate mixture, then fold the remaining whites into the base 4 additions.
It is a matter of personal preference if the whites are streaky. I don't mind a few streaks in my chocolate mixture
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Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and cool for at least 4 hours.
Whipped cream topping
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Whip the heavy cream on medium speed or by hand slowly until the cream develops some volume. Add the sugar and finish whipping until it reaches stiff peaks.
Top the pie. Keep the whipped cream mounded in the center and spread over the pie to the edge. It can be topped just when finished or just before service.
Garnish with shaved chocolate or chocolate jimmies.
Feeling like a citrus pie is in order? Here’s my Key Lime Pie which is super Yum!
