Chocolate French Silk Pie

Chocolate Pie Crust-

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, 2 knives or using a food processor. Cut in till butter pieces are the size of small peas. Add water, starting with 3 tablespoons, and mix till dough comes together. You don’t want the dough to be overly wet, but you don’t want it to be crumbly either. Once dough comes together use your hands to quickly form into a ball. In between 2 layers of plastic wrap, flatten ball into a nice and round 5-6 inch disk. Fold plastic wrap around the disk and place in fridge for at least 1 hour or freezer for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove from fridge or freezer and roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it’s about 2-3 inches larger in diameter than your 9-inch pie plate. Place dough in pie plate, trim excess dough overhang and crimp edges. Dock pie dough with fork every few inches.

Cover dough with foil, making sure to cover the crimped edges well and then fill the pie crust with pie weights (or dry rice or beans).

Bake for 13-15 minutes. Remove pie weights and foil and cook an additional 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before filling.

French Silk Filling-

Put chocolate pieces in a microwave safe bowl and melt on 50% power till melted nicely, stirring every 30 seconds or so. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a heat-proof bowl whisk together the eggs and 1 ½ cups powdered sugar until light. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler) and whisk the mixture constantly until cooked and thick. About 10 minutes or until it reaches 160 F.

Remove from heat and let cool for 4-5 minutes before whisking in the slightly cooled melted chocolate. Cover mixture with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 20 minutes.

Using a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the mixture from the fridge and beat until smooth.

In another bowl, beat the heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla and ¼ cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into chocolate mixture and pour evenly into the cooled chocolate pie crust. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to a few days.

Topping-

Before serving beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread or pipe topping over chilled and set up pie. Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top, if desired.