French Silk Pie

I don't like chocolate. In fact, most of the time I dislike chocolate. There aren't many of us out there that feel that way. My parents are both absolute die hard chocoholics, to the point where my father once broke a tooth trying to take a bite out of a bar he had hidden in the freezer (he's not really supposed to be eating any). Our daughter loves chocolate and her treat basket is filled with kisses, chocolate coins, mini chocolate bars, Tootsie rolls, and probably still some leftover Easter chocolate. I'm not sure because I never raid the basket.

Many times when people hear that I don't like chocolate they sigh and tell me how lucky I am because I'm not tempted by the mountains of cocoa confections like they are. What they don't understand is that in life there is always a balance. What I don't feel for chocolate, I feel for a golden, crisp, slightly curled, well salted potato chip. It's not just any potato chip. It has to be a certain brand (starts with L and ends with S). You give me one, I'll tackle you for the bag. I don't keep them in the house. I can't keep them in the house.

However, I've learned that this mortal toil is full of howevers.  In this case, my however is that on rare occasions, when it's THAT time (men, act like you'd prefer to be anywhere else; women, you know what I mean), I have a chocolate craving and I have to have some NOW. It has to be good, very good chocolate. Milk chocolate. Black gold. Texas tea. Couldn't resist. Bet you sing the theme song for the next few hours. The good thing is that as fast as the craving comes, it leaves and it could be months to a year before it shows up again. I've been in a bookstore, bought a Godiva bar, eaten one square and then let the rest sit in the freezer until I eventually threw it away because of freezer burn.

Today was one of those days when I felt the need to have chocolate, but I didn't have a good bar of milk chocolate around. I do however, have bags of Ghiradelli baking chips and cocoa in the cupboard so I decided to treat the family to one of our favorite desserts. It's a dessert that I've come to sorely miss since moving down south from Chicago because Baker's Square didn't feel the need to come down here with me. French Silk Pie. It's one of the restaurant's signature pies and is so good that it's taken first place at the National Pie Championships.

I made that pie this afternoon and we enjoyed it tonight. It's very rich and very chocolaty. Of course, the urge is gone now so my family will have to finish the pie off, but I don't think that'll be a problem. If you want some, come on over. If you live too far away, here's the recipe for you to make one for yourself.

One word of caution though. You'll notice that the filling for this isn't baked and it uses 4 eggs. The chances of contracting salmonellosis is very slim (0.005%), but as a safeguard, keep the eggs refrigerated, be sure the eggs you use don't have any cracks, and wash them thoroughly before cracking them (even though government regulations require that eggs are washed and sanitized prior to sale). Don't be afraid of raw eggs; just be careful with them.

French Silk Pie

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3-5 tablespoons ice cold water
1 cup butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
3 ounces good quality semisweet chocolate morsels
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
Whipped cream
Chocolate curls

For pie crust, heat oven to 350.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender, two knives or a fork until mixture resembles coarse clumps.  Sprinkle a tablespoon ice-cold water over mixture. Mix gently with a fork. Repeat until mixture is moistened and can be just formed into a ball. The dough should hold together without cracking when picked up and pressed.

Flatten the ball of dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. When ready, remove dough from plastic wrap on to a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle for a 9-inch pie plate.  Transfer tough to the plate. Trim edge of pastry, and crimp as desired.

Bake in the center of the oven for 18-22 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

For the pie, heat the chocolate morsels in a small bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds - 1 minute, so the morsels look the same but are shiny. Remove the bowl and stir the chocolate, which is now melted. Set it aside.

Beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved completely. Stir in the chocolate and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add eggs, two at a time, beating 5 minutes after each addition. The filling should be smooth and creamy, without any grittiness at all from sugar.

Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and refrigerate at least two hours, or until firm.

Before serving, decorate with whipped cream and chocolate curls.