Chocolate Silk Pie

Happy New Year everyone!  Did you make any resolutions for the coming year?  I didn't.  However, it's a new year so it's always a chance to do better, so that's my "resolution" if you want to call it that.  Cheers!

The dessert I decided on for Christmas dinner this year was this chocolate silk pie.  Even though I'm not big on chocolate, I knew that everyone who was joining us loves it.  So I dug out that mile high pile of recipes I've been collecting for the last 12 years, and pulled this one out.  I have never made it before, but knew that I wanted to try it some day since chocolate cream pie is my husband's favorite.  Even though making something I've never made before the day we are having company is a big no no for me, I decided to brave the unknown and give it a try.  I was hopeful that this wouldn't be a disaster.  Besides, I've made lots of chocolate cream pies over the years, so how hard could it be?

I didn't realize that it really isn't like chocolate cream pie at all.  However, I preferred this pie to regular chocolate cream pie.  Even though it looks more dense, it actually tastes lighter.  The texture is more like a mouse than a pudding.  Very smooth and delicious.  I surprised myself with how much I liked it.  I wish I knew where I got the recipe from, but since the printout I had didn't site the author all I can do is send out a big thank you to whom it may concern for putting this recipe out there.  My family enjoyed it very much, and I know I'll be keeping this one forever.  If you are a chocolate lover - this one is for you!

Chocolate Silk Pie

Dough for 1 9" pie crust
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp water
8 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled (original recipe called for bittersweet)
1 tbsp vanilla
8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened & cut into 8 pieces
Fresh whipped cream for serving

For the crust:  Line a 9" pie plate with the dough, and crimp the edges.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375, and line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper, letting it hang over the edges.  Fill the pie plate with pie weights, the place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the pie weights and parchment paper and return to oven to bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool completely before filling (sometimes I will even cook it the day before I want to make the entire pie).

For the filling:  Add the cream to the bowl of an electric mixer and whip on medium speed until it forms stiff peaks.  Transfer to another bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Combine the sugar, eggs and water in the bowl of a double boiler (or you can place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bowl).  With a hand mixer on medium, beat until the egg mixture is thickened and reads 160 F - the original recipe said it would take 7-10 minutes but it was more like 20 for me and it only got to 150 F on my thermometer and it still came out perfect.  Remove bowl from heat and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled to room temp, about 8 minutes.  

Add the melted chocolate and the vanilla to the egg mixture and beat until combined.  Add the butter 1 tbsp at a time until fully incorporated.  Fold in the whipped cream gently  until no white streaks remain.  Transfer to the baked pie shell, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Serve with whipped cream.