French Silk Pie (Chocolate Mousse Pie)
This French silk pie features a whipped dark chocolate mousse made with eggs, butter, and cream, chilled in a baked pie crust.
Ingredients
- 1 Fully-Baked Pie Shell
- 1¼ cups Granulated Sugar (250g)
- 4 Eggs
- 6 oz Dark Chocolate (170g)
- 1½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 6 oz Unsalted Butter, softened (170g)
- 1⅓ cups Heavy Whipping Cream, cold (315mL)
Instructions
Make the Chocolate Mousse
- In a small heatproof bowl set over a double boiler*, melt the chocolate completely, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until fully combined.
- Place the bowl over a double boiler and whisk continuously until a candy thermometer reads 165°F (75°C). Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.
- While the egg and sugar mixture cools slightly, beat the softened butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until completely smooth.
- Whisk together the melted chocolate from step 1, the vanilla, and the egg and sugar mixture from step 3 until fully combined.
- Once the mixture has cooled enough that it will not melt the butter, add it to the stand mixer. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become light, fluffy, and noticeably lighter in color.
- Transfer the whipped chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl and thoroughly clean the stand mixer bowl.
- Fit the stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add the heavy whipping cream and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture from step 7 until fully incorporated and no streaks remain.
Assemble the French Silk Pie
- Spoon about ¾ of the prepared chocolate mousse into your fully baked pie crust.
- Using an offset spatula, gently press the mousse into the crust, making sure to push it all the way to the edges so there are no air pockets.
- Add the remaining chocolate mousse on top, mounding it slightly. Use an offset spatula to smooth and shape the mousse as desired. A cake turntable can make this step easier, but it is not necessary.
- Refrigerate the assembled French silk pie for 3–6 hours to allow the mousse to fully set. This chilling step is essential for achieving a smooth, rich, and stable texture.
Notes
*To make a double boiler, bring about 1 inch (3 cm) of water to a simmer in a small pot. Set a heatproof bowl on top so it rests over the pot without touching the water. The steam from the boiling water gently heats the bowl to about 212°F (100°C), but no hotter. This indirect heat allows you to melt chocolate smoothly and warm the eggs gradually.
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