This easy French Silk Pie recipe is a classic! A rich, creamy layer of chocolate pie filling is topped with whipped cream and chocolate curls for an irresistible dessert.
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Pin RecipeWhile there are some pies that clearly have a season—you don’t see many people serving pumpkin pie in the summer!—French Silk Pie is a year-round kind of treat because chocolate is good whenever you serve it.
Who can turn down a chocolate-y dessert? Not me! Especially when it involves a creamy, smooth, mousse-like chocolate filling.
Classic French Silk Pie Recipe
You’ve probably had this pie before, but if you haven’t tried a homemade recipe, you’re missing out! It’s so much more decadent than the ones sold in the freezer section at the grocery store or even the ones you buy at popular chain restaurants. Let me tell you: this dessert is an experience.
I think French Silk Pie is the perfect dessert for Christmas or New Year’s Eve, but like I said: it’s a year-round dessert! Make it for Thanksgiving if you want to switch things up from the usual pumpkin and apple pie, Easter, 4th of July, or heck, whip it up on the weekend if you’re craving chocolate. It’s easy enough that you can make it whenever you want!
Ingredients For French Silk Pie
- Pie crust – Use a store-bought pastry crust or use my pie crust recipe.
- Sugar
- Eggs – The eggs need to be room temperature, so take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re going to start the recipe.
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Vanilla extract
- Butter – The butter needs to be softened, too, so take it out when you take out the eggs.
- Heavy whipping cream
- Confectioners’ sugar
Variations
- Peppermint French Silk Pie – Use peppermint extract for a festive spin on the traditional version; top with crushed candy canes.
- Black and White French Silk Pie – Use a combination of white and dark chocolate curls to garnish.
- Toasted Coconut French Silk Pie – Instead of chocolate curls, garnish with toasted coconut.
How to Make French Silk Pie
- Prepare the Crust: Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Make the pie crust dough and place it in a 7-inch pie plate. Flute the edge, then line the shell with heavy-duty foil. Bake the crust for 4 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 2 minutes more, or until the crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Start the Filling: Combine the sugar and eggs in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla. Let cool until the mixture is lukewarm.
- Finish the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until it’s light and fluffy. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture on high speed for about 5 minutes. In another large bowl, beat the cream until it begins to thicken, then beat in the confectioners’ sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble and Chill: Fold the whipped cream mixture into the chocolate mixture, then pour the filling into the crust. Chill for at least 6 hours, then garnish and serve.
Quick Tip!
The classic topping for French Silk Pie is whipped cream and chocolate curls. You can find chocolate curls in stores sometimes, but if your grocery store doesn’t carry them, you can buy a chocolate bar and use a vegetable peeler to make your own. Mini chocolate chips will work too if you don’t want to put in all that effort!
How to Store French Silk Pie
Store your pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this pie for up to 2 months and then thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.
FAQs
It’s not actually French! The pie gets its name from the smooth, silky filling. The recipe is American, but maybe the inventor added “French” to the name to make it sound fancy!
Yes! Keep this pie in the refrigerator or freezer. It will spoil if kept at room temperature.
Some French Silk Pie recipes use raw eggs, but this version cooks the eggs, so it’s safe to eat.
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French Silk Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
- Optional: Whipped cream and chocolate curls
Instructions
- Make pie crust recipe and transfer to a 7-in. pie plate; flute edge.
- Line shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.
- Bake at 450° for 4 minutes.
- Remove foil; bake until crust is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and eggs until well blended. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in chocolate and vanilla until smooth.
- Cool until the mixture is lukewarm.
- In a bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy.
- Add cooled chocolate mixture; beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- In another large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture.
- Pour into the crust. Chill for at least 6 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.
