This decadent French silk pie is a classic! Fluffy homemade chocolate mousse fills a blind-baked pie crust, topped with billows of whipped cream and fresh chocolate curls. It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert guaranteed to wow family and guests this holiday season.
If you’re after another chocolate dessert, check out my Chocolate Mousse Cake. It’s a little simpler but has a similar texture to the mousse in this pie.
Decadent French Chocolate Silk Pie
I feel like a French silk pie calls for two disclaimers: first, it’s not actually French at all, but a classic American dessert. Secondly, this French silk pie recipe makes a bit of a mess. But, it’s also very straightforward and make-ahead friendly, so it makes a great dessert for parties and entertaining. Plus, you end up with the most delicious, decadent, and silky chocolate pie after all is said and done. Which, after one bite, is 100% worth it. I’ll walk you through the steps below, with plenty of tips along the way to all but guarantee this pie comes out a success!
Chocolate Pie vs. French Silk Pie
If you’re trying to decide between my Chocolate Pie and this French Silk Pie, let me tell you some of the differences.
- Filling and texture. This pie has a rich, creamy texture similar to the lightest, fluffiest chocolate mousse I’ve ever had. The chocolate pie is denser and thicker but equally rich.
- Eggs vs no eggs. The key to the light and fluffy texture is the eggs. If you need an egg-free option, then I’d recommend the chocolate pie instead.
- Ease to make. I personally find the chocolate pie is easier to make, there’s less steps and dishes involved. However, the reward at the end of it is WORTH IT for either recipe. For the French Silk pie, you’ll need a candy thermometer.
Ingredient Notes
These are my notes on the important components of this French silk pie.
You’ll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with the full recipe, amounts, and details.
- Pie Crust – You’ll need one recipe of my easy homemade pie crust or a store-bought refrigerated crust, blind-baked and cooled. This French silk pie is also delicious with an Oreo crust or Graham cracker crust.
- Dark Chocolate – I use Baker’s brand unsweetened dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa). Other chocolate will work here as well. Ghirardelli, Guittard, and Lindt are good quality chocolate for baking and shaving into chocolate curls.
- Espresso Powder – Optional, but recommended. You won’t taste the coffee, but, as in chocolate cake recipes, espresso powder does help to enhance this pie’s chocolate flavor.
- Eggs- You’ll need 2 large eggs, which are cooked with the sugar. Pay special attention to the preparation method.
- Whipped Cream – I make homemade whipped cream to fold into the pie, and a second batch for the pie topping. In both cases, make sure that the heavy whipping cream is cold from the fridge.
How to Make French Silk Pie
Making a French silk pie from scratch requires time and a few dishes, but I’ve laid out the process step-by-step for you. To set yourself up for success, I recommend measuring out the ingredients and reading through the instructions before beginning. This way, you’ll have everything ready to go and you’ll know what to expect along the way.
Here are the steps to get you started, and I include some helpful tips in the section afterward.
- Blind bake the pie crust. First, prepare and blind-bake your pie crust in a standard pie plate. I have a helpful tutorial on how to blind-bake a pie crust if you need extra guidance. It needs to be cooled completely.
- Melt the chocolate. Next, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between until smooth. Set it aside to cool.
- Heat the eggs and sugar. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar in a saucepan on the stovetop. Fix a candy thermometer to the edge of the pot, and heat the mixture over low heat, whisking constantly. The mixture will go from foamy to smooth and glossy as it heats up. Once the mixture thickens and reaches 160ºF, remove it from the heat.
- Combine. Stir in the melted chocolate, espresso powder, and vanilla. Immediately pour the mixture into the bowl that you used to melt the chocolate to stop it from cooking further. Leave that to cool to room temperature.
- Add butter. Next, beat the softened butter in a new bowl. Once that’s creamy, pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and give that a good whip at high speed for 4-6 minutes, until fluffy.
- Make a batch of whipped cream. In a separate bowl, beat cold heavy cream into soft peaks. Then, add powdered sugar and continue to beat on high until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
- Assemble the pie and chill. Now, fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream by hand. Do this gently and try not to overwork the filling. It’s even fine if a few white streaks remain afterward. Lastly, transfer the filling to your prepared pie crust and refrigerate the pie overnight.
- Make the topping. When you’re ready to serve, make a fresh batch of whipped cream in a chilled mixing bowl with cold heavy cream (place the mixing bowl in the freezer for 5-10 minutes beforehand). Whip the heavy cream into soft peaks, add powdered sugar and vanilla, and whip again until stiff peaks form.
- Garnish the pie and serve. Pipe or dollop the whipped cream over the pie and then use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate curls over top. Serve right away.
Julianne’s Recipe Tips
- Avoid a soggy pie crust. Blind-baking is key to preventing the crust from becoming soggy under the pie filling. Don’t skip this step.
- Let the chocolate cool. The chocolate mixture must be below 90℉ before whipping with the softened butter. If you try to combine them while the chocolate is too hot, it won’t trap the air and become light and fluffy.
- Keep the temperature low when heating the egg mixture. Whisk the egg mixture constantly over low heat, to avoid scrambling the eggs. If the mixture accidentally gets a little lumpy, simply strain it through a fine mesh sieve. There’s no need to waste the eggs and start over. The pie will still set up fine.
- Stabilize the whipped cream. You can easily stabilize whipped cream by adding ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tartar along with the powdered sugar. This helps to keep the whipped cream fluffy for longer. You can also stabilize whipped cream by whipping in 1 teaspoon of bloomed, melted, and cooled unflavored gelatin into the whipped cream during the soft peak stage. This creates the strongest version of whipped cream.
- Get perfect chocolate curls. Chocolate curls work best when you warm the chocolate in your hands for a few minutes first. Then, pull a smooth-sided vegetable peeler slowly across the side of the chocolate bar, over the pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
French silk pie dates back to the 1950s. The story goes that the pie was given the name “French silk” after its light and dreamy, ultra-silky texture of the filling and whipped topping.
There are a few reasons why a silk pie doesn’t set. To avoid a runny pie, it’s important to cook the eggs and sugar to the right temperature (160ºF) and whip the filling ingredients long enough to a consistency similar to chocolate mousse. Also, remember to let the chocolate mixture cool before you add it to the whipped butter.
How to Store
- Refrigerate. Store the leftover pie covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you know you’ll have leftovers, consider leaving off the whipped cream topping until serving (it tends to wilt and weep over time).
- Freeze. You can also freeze this French silk pie without the whipped cream topping for up to 3 months. Wrap the pie tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap and thaw it in the fridge before garnishing and serving.
More Make Ahead Pie Recipes
French Silk Pie
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Chilling Time: Overnight
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours + chilling time
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Pies
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
French silk pie is a decadent and classic dessert, with fluffy chocolate mousse topped with billows of whipped cream and fresh chocolate curls. This make-ahead dessert will wow family and guests this holiday season!
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust: my easy pie crust, blind baked and cooled
For the Filling
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup (126g) granulated sugar
- 3 ounces (85g) high quality 60-70% unsweetened dark chocolate
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons (70g) Salted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup (157ml) Heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 1 tablespoon (8g) Powdered sugar
Topping
- 1 ¼ cups (162ml) Heavy whipping cream, very cold
- ½ cup (65g) Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Blind bake the pie crust following this tutorial in a regular depth pie plate according to the recipe until golden brown. Allow to cool.
- Microwave the unsweetened chocolate in 30-second increments, stirring between until melted and smooth (about 60 seconds or less total). Set aside to cool until it’s under 90℉.
- In a small pot, combine the eggs and sugar with a whisk. Fix the edge of the pot with a candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 160℉. It will begin as a foamy mixture, turning smooth, lighter in color, and glossy when it’s close to temperature, watch it closely and whisk constantly to avoid overcooking. Remove from heat and stir in the melted chocolate, espresso powder, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture back into the bowl used to melt the chocolate to prevent further cooking and allow it to cool to room temperature, for about 15 minutes.
- When the chocolate mixture is cool, beat the softened butter with a hand mixer in a medium bowl until creamy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat on high speed for 4-6 minutes until it becomes very fluffy and light in color.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form and it begins to thicken, add in the tablespoon of powdered sugar and beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream using a silicone spatula. Be sure to fold gently, not stir so you don’t deflate the filling. It’s ok if a few streaks of white remain. Place the filling into the prepared and cooled pie crust, and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, make the whipped cream. Place the mixing bowl in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use a stand or electric mixer with a whip attachment to beat the heavy cream at a high speed until the cream thickens to soft peaks.
- Add the powdered sugar, cream of tartar (see note), and vanilla extract and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls over the top of the pie for garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge, covered for up to 3 days. If you use fresh whipped cream, the whipped cream will start to deflate and weep after a few days. It is best to top the pie with whipped cream just before serving.
- Stabilized whipped cream: To stabilize the whipped cream for the topping and keep it fluffier for longer, add an ⅛ teaspoon of cream of tartar with the powdered sugar. Alternatively, add 1 teaspoon of bloomed, melted, and cooled unflavored gelatin into the whipped cream during the soft peak stage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 504
- Sugar: 24.6 g
- Sodium: 198.2 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.3 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
- Cholesterol: 146.5 mg
