French Silk Pie

This pie recipe comes from Terri, one of my grad school roommates, and I like to make it because I think of her and I smile. Of course, I also like to make it because it’s a delicious, scrumptious chocolate pie. And it’s easy to make, which is especially good if you’ve invited 20 students over for a pre-Putnam dinner and somehow got it into your mind to make 6 pies. So without further ado….

French Silk Pie by Terri Fuller

1 pie crust, already cooked (a graham cracker or chocolate cookie pie crust works well here too)
3 oz [or 4 oz, or 6 oz*] unsweetened chocolate, chopped
¾ cup softened butter
1 cup [or 1 1/3 cups, or 2 cups*] sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs   (I use pasteurized egg substitute because the eggs don’t get cooked)
Whipped Cream for topping

In a small saucepan over low heat (or a double boiler, if you’re like me and burn things) melt the chocolate. While the chocolate is cooling, cream the butter in a large bowl. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in the cooled chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating at medium speed for 5 minutes after each egg is added. Pour until cooled pie crust. Cool in fridge at least two hours. Garnish with whipped cream.

* The smallest amount of chocolate and sugar is what the the original recipe calls for, and that creates a fluffy chocolate French Silk pie.  The middle amount of chocolate and sugar creates a denser, more chocolaty pie, and is my personal favorite.  The largest amount of chocolate and sugar is what I mistakenly used one time, and while Terri dubbed the result “Chocolate Brick Pie” I remember it being amazing, sort of like fudge in a pie crust.