Chocolate Silk Pie

Recipe Source: Bake it with Beth

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt
• 1 stick of very cold butter, chopped into small chunks
• 3 - 4 Tbsp. of ice-cold water

Directions:

1. Place the flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse briefly to just combine.
2. Add in the very cold pieces of butter. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about the size of peas). With the food processor running, slowly pour a tablespoon of the water through the feed tube. Continue to pour in more water, a tablespoon at a time.
3. After you have poured in 3 tablespoons of water, add in the fourth tablespoon if the dough has not yet left the sides of the bowl. Allow the food processor to keep running until the dough completely leaves the sides of the bowl and forms into a ball.
4. Carefully remove the dough from the food processor and wrap in saran wrap or seal in a plastic bag. Put into the refrigerator for 45 minutes. Roll cooled dough out into a 12 inch circle and put into a 9 inch pie pan. Trim and fold edges, then cover with plastic wrap and place in freezer for 30 minutes.
5. Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
6. Cut a piece of parchment paper to place over the pie plate so it covers the plates edges. Fill with pie weights. Place in over and cook for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven, carefully remove the weights and parchment paper, and lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place the pie crust back into the oven and cook for another 8 - 10 minutes, watching carefully until crust is golden but don't let it burn. Allow to cool completely.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, chilled
• 9 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips)
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. of water
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp. of pure vanilla extract
• Fresh whipped cream, for topping
• Chocolate shavings or ground chocolate, for topping (optional)

Directions:

1. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Place into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Put the eggs, water, and sugar into a saucepan and gently stir together. Set over a pan of simmering water and use an electric hand mixer and mix on medium speed until the mixture is thickened and 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer (about 8- 10 minutes)
4. Remove from heat and continue to mix on medium speed for about 8 more minutes (or until the mixture is cooled to room temperature and fluffy). Add the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture and mix on medium low speed until incorporated.
5. Stir in the pure vanilla extract. Then add in the butter, one tablespoon at a time, blending well after each addition. Add in the whipped cream and use a spatula to gently fold in until there are no streaks.
6. Spread the chocolate filling evenly into the prepared pie shell. Cover and place in the fridge to firm up before serving (at least 3 hours). Top with freshly whipped cream and chocolate.