FRENCH SILK PIE

Serves 8 to 10

WHEN IT COMES TO ICONS OF THE 1980S, TO ME THE FRENCH SILK PIE IS RIGHT up there with the Walkman and Flock of Seagulls hairdos. During my elementary school years, any family gathering reached its peak when a Bakers’ Square French silk pie emerged. Around the holidays, its peppermint-spiked Candy Cane Pie counterpart was equally as exciting. As it turns out, it couldn’t be simpler to make at home.

There are a few secrets to making a French silk pie truly live up to its name, and allow the chocolate flavor to really sing. First, use a high-quality bittersweet chocolate you’d be happy to indulge in straight up—this is a great opportunity to play with the wide variety of artisanal chocolates available—and up that bold cocoa edge with a spoonful of cocoa powder. Second, beat in fridge-cold eggs one at a time, retrieving each from the refrigerator right before beating it into the filling, and speaking of beating time, give each egg a full five minutes of whipping to reach its maximum fluffy potential. Third, the final resting time of the finished pie is of utmost importance; it not only allows the chocolate flavor to really bloom, but also gives the sugar time to completely dissolve, resulting in an irresistibly silky, chocolaty, cloudlike quality.

FILLING:

¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

1 cup/200 g granulated sugar

1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

3¾ ounces/107 g bittersweet chocolate (70% to 75% cacao), melted and cooled

3 large eggs, cold*

CRUST:

1 single batch My Favorite Pie Crust (here), baked and cooled

TOPPING:

1 batch Make-Ahead Whipped Cream (here)

¼ ounce grated bittersweet chocolate (70% to 75% cacao)

Prepare the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat for 30 seconds, or until well blended. Add the cold eggs, 1 at a time, allowing each egg 5 full minutes of beating time (to ensure the eggs are truly cold, keep each in the refrigerator until it’s time to add it).

Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Dollop the whipped cream topping on top, leaving a 1-inch/2.5 cm border of chocolate filling showing around the perimeter. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours (overnight is even better) before serving.

*The eggs aren’t cooked in this recipe, so if that’s a concern for you, seek out pasteurized eggs.