Chocolate Mocha French Silk Pie

Chocolate Mocha French Silk Pie

We cook the eggs, so there are no raw eggs in this recipe!!

A balanced chocolate and mocha filling topped with sweetened whipped cream… a perfect choice for Thanksgiving or any special occasion dessert!

Use a deep dish pie plate, or a larger 10” or 12” regular pie plate.  Only have a smaller pie plate?? No problem-just know you might have a little extra filling, which you can refrigerate and enjoy too. Simply pour extra filling into a covered container and refrigerate.

Pie Dough

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbs sugar

4 Tbs shortening

4 Tbs unsalted butter

1/4 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vinegar 

Filling

4 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate baking bars-melted

1/4 cup black coffee cooled

2 teaspoons vanilla 

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

12 Tbs unsalted butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 Tbs confectioner’s sugar

Extra whipped cream for topping: 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 3 Tbs confectioners sugar.

Optional: Chocolate curls, chocolate shavings or a dusting of cocoa powder.

Dough:

Mix salt, sugar and flour. Cut in butter and shortening. Add vinegar to water, adding a little water at a time until a dough forms. (Do not add all of the water at once-use just enough to bring dough together, less water = flakier crust)

Roll to 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.

Fill a pie plate with dough. Crimp edges.  Blind bake pie dough. (Blind Baking: Place a parchment round in the pie dish on top of pie dough. Add 1/4 cup of pie weights (dried beans, or pie weights) Bake on lowest rack at 375 for 15 minutes. 

After 15 minutes-Remove parchment and pie weights—this can be done by lifting the parchment off and placing in a bowl to cool before handling weights.

Return partially baked pie to the oven on middle rack for 7-12 minutes more-until lightly golden and baked through. Allow crust to cool completely before filling.)

4 separate bowls will be used to create the filling.

Filling:

Over a double boiler add eggs and sugar whisk together and cook to 165 degrees-stir constantly until 165 degrees is reached. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 hour, and set aside. (If cooked egg/sugar mixture isn’t smooth, strain over a bowl before making the filling for pie)

Using 1/4 cup cooled black coffee-add espresso powder, mix to dissolve, add vanilla. Set aside.

Whipping the cream: Add 2 Tbs confectioner’s sugar and whip until soft peaks form. set aside.

In a medium bowl melt chocolate. Break up chocolate bar into smaller squares for faster melting. Use a microwave to heat and stir chocolate in 30 second intervals  stirring each time until smooth. Do not overheat.

Add the coffee/espresso/vanilla mixture to the melted chocolate-give it a stir.  -And then add the chocolate/espresso mixture to the cooled egg mixture, stir well until combined. (We will now call this the chocolate/egg mixture) Set aside.

In a mixer, whip the butter for 2 minutes until fluffy and light.  Add the cooled chocolate/egg mixture. Mix to combine. (Probably 30 sec.-1 minute-you can use a mixer) Mixture should be smooth.

Fold the chocolate/egg/butter mixture into the prepared whipped cream-use a big rubber spatula-try not to overmix or deflate the whipped  cream. Mix gently, to combine with an even color.  Pour filling into the cooled pie crust. Refrigerate pie for 3 hours to overnight.  The filling will be loose at first-and will set up as it refrigerates.

Top with additional whipped cream once pie has set. This is a great make-ahead pie. Can be made up to 2 days ahead-and kept refrigerated.  Before serving add chocolate shavings, curls, or dust with cocoa powder.