My Easy 5 Ingredient French Silk Pie

Probably one of my most requested pies at  the Bistro  is my French silk chocolate pie. I don't whip mine with egg and it is not like a fluffy mousse...I have seen those and I don't really like the raw egg scenario. Plus, I don't want a chocolate mousse pie (even those are amazing). My pie is different.  It is just like a giant chocolate truffle in a pie shell and super ridiculously evil, good, evil, good. At the bistro I add a few  more nuances to the  flavor by infusing it with citrus and rose petal. This is a simpler recipe for you. It is not low calorie. I'm not even going to pretend. 

5 Ingredient French Silk Pie

• 1 prepared baked pie crust, 9 inch, baked and cooled *
• 2 cups  high quality dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup real butter
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

Directions:
In a half gallon pot, combine the heavy cream, butter and vanilla bean paste (you can use regular vanilla). Bring cream mixture to a boil.  While cream mixture is cooking, place chocolate in a bowl.  Pour the boiling cream mixture over the chocolate and whisk well until the chocolate is melted and there are no lumps.  Pour the chocolate mixture into the baked pie shell and transfer to the fridge until the pie is set. Allow pie to come to room temperature before serving. I top mine with chocolate mousse or homemade whip cream.


There you go darlings!

Never made pie crust? 

Here's the tutorial from the post on Pecan Pie and Perfect Crust with my darling BFF Gena! You'll love it!

My perfect pie crust recipe:

2 1/4 cup pastry flour (all purpose will work)

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup cold butter 

3 T cold water

3 T white distilled vinegar (trust me?)

Combine the flour and the salt in a large bowl.

I keep the fat pretty cold. Yes, if you look closely I do use butter. It helps with the "mouth feel" of the crust. Buttery and not so greasy. You can use half crisco half butter if you prefer the texture. 

cut in shortening with a pastry blender. combine lightly until the mix resembles course meal or tiny peas: its texture will not be uniform, but will contain small crumbs and small bits and pieces. If you don't have a pastry blender, you can certainly use the wire whisk from your mixer.

Or, my personal favorite...the techno-chef fingers. Just make sure your hands are freezing cold. It's winter, I'm sure you can work that out.

Mmmm pea size.

I use vinegar in my crust. I have for years. It helps with the flaky texture and it actually does make an amazing crust. I made my darling Gena try the crust. Gena was convinced after just one taste. Should you doubt me, please, just try it once. If you don't like it, never return to it. I doubt you'll feel that way though.

Make a well in the dry stuff and add 3 T cold water and 3 T vinegar. You may need more or less, so go with 2 T of vinegar at first...but I can't think if the last time I needed to change the recipe and add more water or vinegar than what it says.

Lightly combine, just until mixed. Overmixing the dough will always result in hard non-flake-like crust. You have been warned. I bring it together.

Kneading it only a few times and making into a ball.
Refrigerate about 30 minutes. It will be easier to work with, and it gives the gluten (protein in the wheat) time to rest so the dough will roll out easier.

Take half of the dough. With your hands form it into a patty. I put my dough between two pieces of wax paper. I've used this method since my granny W. Forever. It's never failed me. Lightly...and I do mean lightly...wipe the counter top with a lightly damp clean washcloth. Place a piece of wax paper down, about 1 foot by 1 foot. Put the dough down. Top with another piece of wax paper of same proportions. Wax paper helps contribute to a tender crust, using extra flour on the counter instead may lead to a dry crust if overdone. This keeps me good.

Totally not necessary to have a Candy-land rolling pin. Gena just has this old thing laying around so I had to use it. Totally cute isn't it?! Roll the dough out into a circle. This may take practice to get it just right. Take your time.

Once to the edges of the wax paper, remove the top piece of paper. Place crust, uncovered side down in the pan, with an inch or so of crust hanging over the edge of the pan.

Now remove the second piece of crust.

Trim the edge so it hangs over about 3/4 inch, then fold it under so it leaves a little rim on the pan. This one comes up about 1/2 inch.

I will now play the flute for your listening pleasure...pppflllkkkkiiispuutttt. Like so.

Don't expect your first pie to look this neat and tidy. I may have made several thousand pies in the course of my days. If, however, yours looks this nice, keep in mind you are a freaky genius and I don't even know what to say.

You will need a 400 degree pre-heated oven. I'm not kidding on that point either. It's really important to heat that bad boy up first. Your crust will be better. Now here's what I do. I have these magic beans see...and they go on this layer of aluminum foil, right on top of the crust. They hold the crust down when it bakes so it doesn't get air bubbles. If you resist the urge to prick holes in the crust, you will be rewarded with a pecan pie that actually isn't glued to the pan by molten carmel superglue stuff that leaked through. Be impressed that I know that...and do, please, learn from my hideous mistake. I made it only once, and I will remember it forever. The humanity of chiseling pie crust off the bottom of the pan. It was a pathetic, dramatic display I don't want to repeat. Use the dry uncooked beans...not like a can of pork-n-beans. The dry bags...you know? Or, use the fancy pie weights...whatever.

Bake 10-15 minutes, just to make the crust nice and pre-cook-like. It will not be golden yet. Very techno-baking term.

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess