Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving: French Silk Pie

We all love pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Not only is it tradition, but its delicious; warm or cold, with whipped cream or without. This Thanksgiving why not introduce another kind of pie? (along with the pumpkin, of course) French Silk Pie is delicious yet light because of it's airy and silky inside. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 large eggs, room temperature
Whipped cream, topping
Chocolate curls, garnish

Yields 1 9-inch pie

Directions:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out pie crust dough into a 14-inch round. Wrap dough lightly around rolling pin and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Gently press dough into the bottom and sides of the pan. Trim the dough to allow a 1-inch overhang. Pinch dough between thumb and forefinger to make an edge around the rim. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
Using a fork, prick a couple dozen holes into the bottom of the crust to prevent the dough from rising. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before filling.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat together the room temperature butter and sugar until smooth and light in color, about 5-6 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating for 5 minutes between additions to add height to the chocolate filling.
Spread the chocolate filling into the cooled pie crust and chill for at least 2-3 hours before serving to set the filling and develop the flavor.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate curls.