When it comes to pies, Paul prefers cream pies while I’m usually all about the fruit pies. But I will never say no to a slice of this French silk pie! It’s like heaven on a plate with it’s deep chocolate flavor and sweet mound of whipped cream on top. We love creamy, cool desserts, especially when they have piles of homemade whipped cream on top. If you like this French Silk Pie recipe, you will also want to check out our Easy No-Bake Blueberry Delight, Strawberry Pretzel Icebox Pie, or our Arkansas Possum Pie, which has layers of chocolate pudding and no-bake cheesecake in a pecan crust! French Silk Pie is not even French, despite the name! It was actually invented in Maryland by a Mrs. Kendall (Betty) Cooper and won the “Best in Class — Pie” $1,000 prize in the 1951 Pillsbury Bake-Off. It’s anyone’s guess why Mrs. Cooper gave her pie it’s tantalizing moniker. Maybe it’s because of the mousse-like quality of the filling and it’s silky texture. I’m including it in my collection of Maryland-inspired recipes for my American Eats series as a nod to Mrs. Cooper and the genesis of this delicious American classic. I love my chocolate cream pie and Arkansas possum pie recipes, but this French silk pie is hands down my favorite chocolate pie of the three.
What You’ll Need
This is one of those recipes where the quality of your ingredients is really important because they really determine the flavor of the end product. Quality chocolate, butter, heavy cream, and fresh eggs make this pie taste absolutely amazing.
Chocolate: I always use Ghiradelli bittersweet or semisweet baking bars for this pie, although Baker’s makes a good chocolate as well. Do not substitute chocolate chips, which won’t melt nearly as well. Eggs: Some French Silk Pie recipes (including the original version) skip heating the eggs. But here I chose to gently cook the eggs over simmering water until they reach 160 degrees F so we don’t have to worry about bacteria or finding pasteurized eggs to use. Sugar: There are two types of sugar in this recipe: granulated sugar that goes into the filling and powdered sugar used to sweeten the whipped cream. Butter: I make this recipe with salted butter, both for the pie filling as well as the crust. If you are using unsalted butter, you will want to add ½ teaspoon of salt to the filling. Heavy cream: The cream gets used in both the filling and for topping the pie. It whips better when the cream and the bowl it is whipped in are kept cold. You want to go for stiff peaks, which is where the whipped cream holds its shape when you remove the beaters rather than drooping over. But be careful not to overbeat or you will turn the cream into butter. Vanilla extract: A little vanilla extract sweetens the whipped cream and adds depth to the filling. Pie crust: I use my favorite pie crust recipe, which is made up of all-purpose flour, butter AND shortening for the best texture and flavor, a little sugar, salt, and ice water. I have a whole post with all my best tips and tricks for making homemade pie crust that you might want to check out, including a YouTube video where I show how you can do it in a food processor (affiliate link)!
How to Make French Silk Pie
Although there a few steps to making this pie, the results are well worth the effort! I definitely recommend making your own pie crust, although you can always buy one from the store if you are running short on time.
Make the Crust
Make the Filling
Garnish
More Pie Recipes
Award-Winning Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie Banoffee Pie Best Key Lime Pie Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Old Fashioned Banana Cream Pie Recipe
Sour Cream Lemon Pie
The Best Recipe for Strawberry Pie
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
