Growing up it wasn’t a holiday without a French Silk Pie with those chocolate curls on top.
Whether it was Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, we always had to have something chocolate. You see, I come from a long line of chocoholics. My dad and his mom, my grandma, love chocolate and sweets just as much as I do.
However neither of them bake, so we always got those frozen silk pies from the grocery store. Last year I decided to finally make a chocolate French silk pie from scratch for Thanksgiving and it was the most popular pie of the evening! So I knew I had to share the recipe with you asap.
I hope it becomes a family favorite and maybe even a holiday tradition in your home as well. This pie would even be perfect for Valentine’s Day!
French Silk Pie Recipe Tips
The Crust
I love an Oreo crust for this recipe! It’s so much easier than traditional pie dough and adds an extra dose of CHOCOLATE! Use regular-stuff Oreos with the filling in tact.
If you’d prefer to use a pastry crust, check out my Best Ever Pie Crust recipe here and follow the directions for pre-baking.
The Filling
Since this recipe doesn’t use raw eggs it’s safe to serve to everyone.
However, there are a few extra steps and bowls you will dirty while making this recipe. It’s SOOO worth it. I’d highly recommend reading the recipe through completely before you get started. You’ll need an electric mixer (hand held or stand) and an instant read thermometer for best results.
The Chocolate
The filling does have an intensely rich chocolate flavor. If you’d prefer something more mild, feel free to swap in semisweet chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate.
How to Make Chocolate Curls
Taking the time to make chocolate curls, instead of just shaving a block of chocolate or garnishing with a dusting of cocoa powder, really makes this French Silk Pie look gourmet. Here’s a super helpful step-by-step video on how to make chocolate curls.
More Chocolate Pie Recipes
Don’t ya just want a big bite?!
For the crust
-
20
Oreo (230 grams) cookies
(regular-stuffed, keep filling intact)
-
3
tablespoons
unsalted butter, melted
For the filling
-
1 1/3
cups
(266 grams) granulated sugar
-
4
large eggs
-
8
ounces
(227 grams) bittersweet baking chocolate, melted
-
2
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
10
tablespoons
(142 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
-
1 1/3
cups
heavy cream, cold
-
4
teaspoons
powdered sugar
For the topping
-
1
cup
heavy cream, cold
-
2
tablespoons
powdered sugar
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
Chocolate shavings or cocoa powder,
for garnish if desired
Make the crust:
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch deep pie dish with cooking spray.
-
Place the Oreo cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add in the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and set. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the filling:
-
In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs. Set over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool to just warm, stirring occasionally.
-
Use an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add in the cooled chocolate mixture then beat on high speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
-
In a clean bowl use an electric mixer to beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture.
-
Pour the mixture into the pan, smoothing evenly. The pie will be tall with filling. Chill for 6 hours. At this point the pie can be stored for up to 2 days ahead of time.
Make the topping:
-
Use an electric mixer to beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form. Top pie with whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings or dust with cocoa powder.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
December 2020 Baking Challenge
This recipe was the December 2020 pick for our monthly baking challenge! Every month you can join the challenge by baking the recipe and snapping a photo for a chance to win prizes! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. Check out everyone’s pies:
I have made this pie 2 times now…… and it is the bomb…… just delicious…. I cheated and bought a chocolate crust both times…. But the filling is just SO good….. I would die and go to heaven if I made the Oreo crust, no doubt! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
This recipe is the bomb! I’m a home baker and while making it I could already tell that the filling combo was excellent. My family liked it so much they requested I make it again soon. So I guess the one con is that if you serve this once, people will be requesting you make it again frequently
I’ve made this twice now and it’s been incredible both times. 1st time I made this in a pie dish, 2nd time I made it in an 8×8 square pan because I didn’t have a pie dish in my new house – both came out excellent and didn’t have to change a thing. will be saving this forever!