Chocolate Silk Pie

 

In case you have not had enough chocolate over Easter, I’m bringing you another chocolate recipe! If you have leftover Easter eggs and are not sure what to do with them you could make this pie. It is another recipe adapted from Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen. It is a very decadent but so easy, it just takes time as it needs to chill for quite a while.

I used a lot less sugar then is stated in the original recipe but then I don’t have a very sweet tooth. This was more than sweet enough for me. The filling for this pie uses raw eggs so make sure that you are using the freshest possible eggs for this and take all of the usual precautions. If you have a fear of using raw eggs you can buy the cartons of pasteurised eggs to use instead. The original recipe calls for chocolate wafer crumbs which I cannot get, so I substituted with chocolate digestives and increased the amount needed. Deb states that you could use a pastry base instead and I might try this next time. The biscuit base is easier and quicker to make though. This is very rich so a little goes a long way.

Serves 10-12

 

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 230g chocolate digestive biscuits, approx. 14 biscuits
• 1 tbsp. castor sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 75g unsalted butter melted

For the filling:

• 170g butter at room temperature
• 175g castor sugar
• 85g dark chocolate melted and cooled
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 

• 250ml double cream
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• More chocolate for garnishing

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 180c/160c fan/gas mark 4.
• Make crumbs out of the biscuits as you would for a cheesecake and mix with the sugar and salt. Stir in the melted sugar and make sure everything is well combined.
• Lightly grease a 23cm/9″ pie dish and press the crumb mixture as evenly as possible on the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish.
• Bake the crust in the oven for 10 minutes and then let it cool completely.
• Start making the filling by beating the butter and sugar together until they are pale and fluffy.
• Keep beating and slowly pour in the melted chocolate until well combined.
• Add the eggs one at a time and beat for about 5 minutes after each one.
• Scrape down the bowl and then add the vanilla and mix well.
• Spread the mixture over the cooled base and place in the fridge to set for at least 6 hours.
• When you are ready to serve add the vanilla to the cream and whip.
• Spread the cream on top and grate or curl the chocolate on top.