French Silk Pie Recipe:- The French Silk Pie is characterised by a crust made of Oreo cookies, a chocolate filling that is both rich and creamy, and a topping that is decorated with fresh whipped cream and chocolate shavings! Eggs should not be eaten raw. An ideal recipe for the holidays!
French Silk Pie Recipe
As a child, a holiday would not be considered complete without the presence of a French Silk Pie topped with chocolate curls. In every holiday season, whether it was Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, we were required to consume some form of chocolate. My family has a long history of chocolate lovers, as you can see. In the same way that I do, my father and my grandmother are also big fans of chocolate and sweets.
On the other hand, neither of them is a baker, so we always purchased those frozen silk pies from the supermarket.
I finally made the decision to create a chocolate French silk pie from scratch for Thanksgiving a few years ago, and it turned out to be the most popular pie of the evening during the Thanksgiving celebration. So I knew that I needed to give you the recipe as soon as possible.
I hope it becomes a family favorite and maybe even a holiday tradition in your home as well!
How to Make French Silk Pie
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 intact. 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.
French Silk Pie Filling
Since this recipe doesn’t use raw eggs, it’s safe to serve to everyone.
However, this dish has some extra steps and bowls that will get dirty. But it’s SOOO worth it. Before you start, you should definitely read the recipe all the way through. A hand-held or stand-alone electric mixer and an instant-read temperature are what you’ll need for the best results.
What Type of Chocolate Will I Need?
I love using bittersweet chocolate in this French Silk Pie recipe. It brings an intensely rich chocolate flavor. Use high-quality chocolate baking bars, not chocolate chips, for best results. If you’d prefer something more mild, feel free to use semisweet chocolate instead (1:1 ratio).
Whipped Cream Topping for French Silk Pie
- Be sure to top the pie with the whipped cream no more than a few hours before serving, so it looks its best.
- The whipped cream will begin to deflate and weep if topped too far in advance.
- Garnish with chocolate curls (see just below) or a sprinkling of cocoa powder for a pretty presentation.
How to Make Chocolate Curls
This French Silk Pie looks really fancy because the chocolate curls were made instead of just shaving a block of chocolate or adding cocoa powder on top. This video shows you how to make chocolate curls step by step, which is very helpful.
What Type of Pie Pan Should I Use?
- This pie recipe was made for a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, just like this one.
You might have some filling left over if you don’t have a deep-dish pie pan. Here’s a little snack for you! - The material of the pie pan doesn’t matter as much for this pie because it’s not going to be baked. If you want to learn more about the best pie pans, though, I suggest reading my piece on making a pastry pie crust.
Can I Make French Silk Pie Ahead of Time?
Yes! This pie actually needs to be chilled for 6 hours before serving, so it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert! You can make it up to 2 days ahead of time. Keep covered in the fridge, then top with whipped cream shortly before serving.
Can I Freeze French Silk Pie?
We haven’t tested freezing this French Silk pie, but readers have done so with success. Just note that freezing may slightly alter the texture after thawing. Place inside an airtight container and freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and serving.
IngredientsÂ
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
- 4Â 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
Instructions
Make the crust:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch deep pie dish with cooking spray.
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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:
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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.
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Using 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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
