FRENCH SILK PIE

French Silk Pie                                               makes one 9” pie

Pie Pastry for 9” single crust

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 oz. (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4-6 tablespoons ice cold water

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter pieces and use a bench scraper to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Add 4 tablespoons of water and use your fingers to incorporate the liquid into the flour/butter mixture. If the mixture feels dry, add an additional 1 or 2 tablespoons of water until the mixture comes together. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out. Roll out the dough on lightly floured parchment paper into a 12” circle. Transfer to a 9” pie plate without stretching the dough and trim the excess dough so you have about ½” overhang. Roll and crimp the edges. Refrigerate the pie shell for at least an hour before blind baking.  When ready to blind bake, line the pie crust with a full sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment (or foil) and bake crust an additional 10 minutes until golden. Cool crust on a rack completely before filling.

French Silk filling (adapted from Cooks Country and 250 Superb Pies)

1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (Medaglia D’Oro)
3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar, (quick spin in the food processor so it’s fine)
2 tablespoons water
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (I use Trader Joe’s 72% dark)
1 tablespoon vanilla
8 tablespoons (1 stick) room temperature butter, cut into ½” pieces

Combine heavy cream and espresso powder in a large mixing bowl. Whip cream on medium until thick, then increase to high and whip until stiff. Cover and refrigerate.

In a large heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, whisk together eggs, sugar and water. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until mixture registers 160 degrees; this will take a good 8-10 minutes. Remove bowl from over the simmering water and beat until thick and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. Beat in melted/cooled chocolate and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add soft butter a few pieces at a time making sure they are incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream until no streaks remain. Turn the filling into the cooled pie shell, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours. Garnish with freshly whipped cream.

---