Jen’s Chocolate (French) Silk Pie
Deeply chocolate and ultra smooth, the chocolate silk filling is crowned with homemade whipped cream and sits on a buttery chocolate cookie crust. Decadent chocolate silk pie combines two layers of chocolate and is a perfect dessert for any occasion.
This chocolate lover’s dream pie is a must-make. My sister-in-law, Jen, discovered this recipe when searching for a cooked-egg version of a French silk pie. It’s now a family favorite! Originally made for a New Year’s Eve celebration a few years ago, it’s perfect for any time of year. I’m telling you, it’ll be the first pie to go at the Thanksgiving dessert table.
Chocolate Silk Pie Ingredients
- Newman-O’s chocolate cream cookies – also know as Oreos, but Newman O’s chocolate sandwich cookies are better as they’re made with organic flour and sugar instead of conventional flour and high-fructose corn syrup. Remove the cream filling with a butter knife. You’ll just use the chocolate cookie part for this recipe. We’ve also used a better-for-you brand of “Famous Chocolate Wafers” but they can be harder to find in the grocery store. If you don’t want to remove the filling, omit the sugar from the crust.
- Sugar – You’ll use some granulated sugar for the crust and some for the silk filling.
- Butter – Room temperature
- Large eggs
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla is in the silk filling and the whipped cream.
- Heavy cream – Some for the silk filling and a little more for the top of the pie
- Powdered sugar – A little for both the filling and the whipped cream
- Shaved dark chocolate – To decorate the finished pie
French Silk Pie vs. Chocolate Pie
Old fashioned American chocolate pie is traditionally made with classic chocolate pudding. Whereas, French silk pie filling has a deeper chocolate flavor and a fluffier, silkier texture, similar to a chocolate mousse. Additionally, this version has a crust made of “Oreo” chocolate sandwich cookies, and classic chocolate pie usually uses a traditional pastry pie crust. For a simple variation, French silk pie can be made with a traditional all-butter pie crust as well.
How to Make Chocolate Silk Pie
1. Make Chocolate Crust
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Remove cream filling, scraping gently with a butter knife.
Add chocolate cookies to a food processor, and pulse until the consistency of sand. Add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and pulse a few more times. Through top, pour in melted butter while continuing to pulse until well mixed. Alternatively, you can place cookies in a large ziplock bag and pound with a rolling pin, and stir together with the 1/4 cup of sugar and melted butter until sandy.
Press crust into bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
2. Make Chocolate Mousse
On low heat, whisk 2/3 cup granulated sugar and eggs together in a small saucepan, whisking constantly until shiny and slightly thickened and thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool for about 5 minutes.
In medium bowl, cream (use paddle attachment of stand mixer) softened butter until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the butter and continue beating on high speed for another 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk the 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and continue whisking on medium speed until it forms firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Set aside and refrigerate while you make the whipped cream for topping.
3. Make Whipped Cream
Whisk the additional 1 cup heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, until soft peaks form. Add 2-3 additional tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and continue whisking on medium until somewhere between soft and stiff peaks.
4. Assemble Chocolate Silk Pie
Gently spoon chocolate silk filling into chocolate pie crust, spreading as evenly as possible with a rubber spatula or offset spatula.
Top chocolate silk filling with whipped cream, again spreading evenly with a clean rubber spatula or offset spatula.
Garnish top of pie with chocolate shavings or make chocolate curls. See this helpful tutorial for making beautiful chocolate curls.
How to Store Chocolate Silk Pie
Refrigerate pie for up to three days, covered.
You May Also Enjoy These Chocolate Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Raspberry Crisp
- Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie (with no Corn Syrup)
- Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Sundaes
Jen’s Chocolate Silk Pie
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
- 12 ounces Newman O's chocolate sandwich cookies
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Chocolate Silk Filling
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Whipped Cream for Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- shaved dark chocolate for garnish
Instructions
MAKE CHOCOLATE CRUST
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove cream filling, scraping gently with a butter knife.
- Add chocolate cookies to a food processor, and pulse until the consistency of sand. Add 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and pulse a few more times. Through top, pour in melted butter while continuing to pulse until well mixed. Alternatively, you can place cookies in a large ziplock bag and pound with a rolling pin, and stir together with the 1/4 cup of sugar and melted butter until sandy.
- Press crust into bottom and up sides of 9-inch pie pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
MAKE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
- On low heat, whisk 2/3 cup granulated sugar and eggs together in a small saucepan, whisking constantly until shiny and slightly thickened and thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool for about 5 minutes.
- In medium bowl, cream (use paddle attachment of stand mixer) softened butter until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the butter and continue beating on high speed for another 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and continue whisking on medium speed until it forms firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Set aside and refrigerate while you make the whipped cream for topping.
MAKE WHIPPED CREAM
- Whisk the additional 1 cup heavy whipping cream on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes, until soft peaks form. Add 2-3 additional tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and continue whisking on medium until somewhere between soft and stiff peaks.
ASSEMBLE CHOCOLATE SILK PIE
- Gently spoon chocolate silk filling into chocolate pie crust, spreading as evenly as possible with a rubber spatula or offset spatula.
- Top chocolate silk filling with whipped cream, again spreading evenly with a clean rubber spatula or offset spatula.