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Chocolate: French Silk Pie

Source of Recipe

Eating Well, October 1997


List of Ingredients

***CRUST***
30 chocolate wafers
2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons water

***FILLING***
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
4 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 large egg
1/2 cup 1% milk
8 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
--preferably Dutch-process
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate -- chopped
--not unsweetened
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
chocolate curls -- optional


Recipe

TO MAKE CRUST: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan or coat it with nonstick spray. In a food processor, combine chocolate wafers and dates. Process until finely chopped. Add oil and water and process until moistened. Press into the bottom and sides of prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes, or until crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack.

TO MAKE FILLING & SERVE: In a small bowl, combine coffee and 1 tablespoon water. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside to soften. In a small saucepan, whisk egg, milk, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cocoa until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a simmer. Remove from heat, add reserved gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved. Add chocolate and vanilla, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a wide saucepan, bring about 1 inch water to a bare simmer over low heat. In a heatproof bowl large enough to fit over the saucepan, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, remaining 3 tablespoons water and remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar. Set bowl over the saucepan; beat with an electric mixer at low speed until an instant-read thermometer registers 140ºF, about 3 to 5 minutes. Increase mixer speed to high and continue beating for 3 1/2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and beat meringue until cool, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Whisk one-fourth of the meringue into reserved chocolate mixture until smooth. Scrape chocolate mixture into remaining meringue and use a whisk to incorporate it with a folding motion. Spoon into crust and chill, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours. (The pie will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 days.) If desired, garnish with chocolate curls before serving.