Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Another version of French Silk
--French Silk Pie



French Silk Pie
The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook Copyright 1999

2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup butter or margarine
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whipping cream, divided
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 baked 9-inch pastry shell
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Garnish chocolate shavings I would have liked to do this but I didn't have the time or energy

Place chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler; bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook until chocolate and butter melt.

Add sugar and flour; stir well. Gradually stir in 2 cups of whipping cream. Cook, stirring constantly, 20 minutes or until mixture thickens. Gradually add one-fourth of hot mixture into egg yolks. Add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook until mixture thickens and reaches 160 degrees. Remove from heat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; cool to room temperature, and spoon mixture into pastry shell. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Spread whip cream on pie. Garnish, if desired.
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I've made the more traditional version of French Silk pie (although I used pasteurized egg product and I'm sure it wasn't as good as the raw egg version). It wasn't the ultimate chocolate pie. I can never find my ultimate chocolate pie, perhaps because I'm not really sure what that is. I'll know it when I have it.

This year I really wasn't searching for THE pie. I just wanted a tasty chocolate pie, something other than chocolate pudding and whipped cream. I saw this cooked version of French Silk and decided to give it a try.

As I was making it I thought, I'm just making chocolate pudding verrrrry slowly (over a double boiler). The components seemed about the same. Then I worried that it wouldn't set. It seemed runny even as it cooled. Well that was a laugh since this turned out to be a very firm pie. It reminded me of a truffle filling. It was THE ULTIMATE chocolate pie but it was very good, I thought.

I don't know if my thermometer was off or what but it took me a long time to reach 160 degrees. So long, I'm not completely sure that I didn't screw this up somehow so hopefully if anyone tries this recipe, the results will be the same.

This year was light on pies. I made two Libby's Pumpkin Pies. It was my first year making the pumpkin pies and I decided why vary from what I know works? I don't think I can much improve on Libby's recipe or Mrs. Smith's frozen pumpkin pie, which is also very good but my family is used to the Libby's.

I made the Belgium Rice Custard Pie and Butterscotch Pie, which becomes more popular around our table every year. It turned out so beautifully this year that I regret not getting a new picture. There were no saran wrap scars and the graham cracker crust was perfectly shaped.

It's Tuesday and I'm already stressed out. December is definitely the most stressful month of the year for me. I don't get to relax until after my son's birthday in January.

Question of the Day: Have you started getting ready for the holidays yet? I've shopped for the boys, that's about it. That's fun. I realized that I won't have much time to bake this year since Christmas is on a Thursday and I have only a few vacation days left that will probably be spent on sick kids or bad weather. I have a list of things I want to make but will I have time to make them? I have to do Christmas cards. We have to take our annual trek to Candylane at Hersheypark for Santa pictures. I have to finish shopping. I have to decorate! That is usually done by now. Arghhh!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Instead of pasteurized egg product, buy those eggs in the shell that have been pasteurized. They're fantastic -- just like a regular egg, but no concerns about not cooking them enough to kill salmonella. Completely safe!

Jennifer said...

I've never made a butterscotch pie, btw, but it sounds delicous.

I have started my holiday shopping, BUT, I'm feeling swamped, too. My son's bday was Nov. 23rd, my daughters is the 4th and my husband's is X-mas Eve! Plus we hosted Thanksgiving and will host Christmas, too.

And just this week I need to bake a cake for my daughter's birthday (red velvet), treats for her class, treats for the cheerleading hospitality room and cupcakes for her party with her friends. I'm actually taking a day off work just to bake.

Oh, and for me the hardest part is deciding what to get people! I've bought some presents, but the people haven't bought for yet are due to my general cluelessness about what to get them!

Unknown said...

Yep! I had decorated and done some shopping. Now I just have to finish shopping and cook all of my cookie tin stuff.

I have a great chocolate pie that I should make sometime and post about. It's my MaG's recipe and is SO good!

Anonymous said...

We pulled out all the boxes of Christmas stuff this past weekend and the house is 70% decorated. The tree is up but no lights or decorations yet. MAYBE if I'm lucky we'll start on the cards next week but with parties and other commitments (like hockey games) we won't be able to truly start doing shopping and stuff until the 15th!