From our homes to yours, we wish you a wonderful holiday season filled with friends & family, fun times and delicious food.

Enjoy & Create Memories!

This French Silk Pie is AMAZING! It is a real treat! I usually only make it for our family holiday gatherings – it is full of chocolate flavor and so rich! It does take longer than the average French silk pie – but oh my – so worth it!

Start with your favorite baked pie crust – yes – I still use the refrigerated Pillsbury crust. Someday I will tackle “real” crusts, but for now, this works. Melt 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool.

With electric mixer on medium-high, whip the cream to stiff peaks, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate.

Combine eggs, sugar and water in a large heatproof bowl and set over medium saucepan with 1/2 inch barely simmering water.

Mix on medium high, until the mixture is thickened and registers 160 degrees, about 7-10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from heat and continue to beat egg mixture until fluffy and cooled to room temperature.

Add chocolate and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

Then add butter, a few pieces at a time, until well combined. (Yes – you read that right – 1/2 cup of butter is beaten into the chocolate…makes it so rich and good!)

Using a spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream.

Place filling into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.

Top with whipped cream and a few chocolate shavings or maybe some crushed candy canes for Christmas. YUM! It may become one of your most requested holiday desserts!

Print Recipe

French Silk Chocolate Pie

This recipe takes longer than most…but so worth it!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Refrigerate Until Set3 hours hrs

Total Time3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course: Pie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate

Author: Cook’s Illustrated

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 9" baked pie shell, your favorite recipe or purchased

French Silk Filling

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and softened

Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

French Silk Filling

• With electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to stiff peaks, 2-3 minutes. Transfer whipped cream to a small bowl and refrigerate.
• Combine eggs, sugar and water in large heatproof bowl set over medium saucepan filled with 1/2 inch barely simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). With electric mixer on medium speed, beat until egg mixture is thickened and registers 160 degrees, 7-10 minutes.
• Remove bowl from the heat and continue to beat egg mixture until fluffy and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. (To help speed the process, transfer the egg mixture from the bowl you used on the stove to another large mixing bowl). Make sure the egg mixture is at room temperature before going to next step.
• Add cooled chocolate and vanilla to room temperature and beat until incorporated. Beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, until well combined.
• Using a spatula, fold in the whipped cream until no white streaks remain.
• Scrape filling into the pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.

Whipped Cream

• Beat cream, sugar and vanilla together in a medium bowl on low for about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue beating until the cream is smooth, thick and nearly doubled in volume. Finish beating until the consistency you want. Serve immediately.

Only two weeks until Christmas! Do you have your Christmas decorations up? I really like getting out the Christmas decorations and then enjoying all the memories that go along with them. Remembering those special gifts and all the fun the kids had with the decorations when they were little.

I love traditions and many of our Christmas decorations have become traditions. Mark’s mom collected the Byers’ Choice carolers, and when we started our family we started our collection. We have the parents – the grandparents – and our 4 kids -and a dog. Then later we added the clock maker and Santa’s Workshop. When our kids get married, we start their collection for them. These have become some of my favorite Christmas decorations.

I painted these three Santa’s the Christmas right before our oldest son was born, 30 years ago. Note that the list Santa is holding on the right has Carrs written at the top. What keepsakes!

We have had a variety of nativity scenes over the years, but I love this one. Many years ago we purchased it at the Cameron Christmas Craft Show. I am not sure how the clay ornaments survived four children – but I love the little sheep – barely peeking out over the greenery. I do remember we used to have a donkey:).

Remember when the Avon lady came to your home? This Avon Countdown to Christmas Tree was one that our kids loved growing up. A new ornament was put on the tree each day of December. So fun!

When the kids were little this Santa would dance under the Christmas tree. Mark gave me the wooden sleigh after we moved into our first little house in Cameron. The quilt is just one I purchased at an antique store in town.

These cute baking Santa’s have also been part of our Christmas decor for years. Traditional decorations make the holidays extra special.

I love having the home all ready for the holidays – and then having all the kids (and their spouses and dogs) home – which – of course, is the very best part of Christmas!

Enjoy decorating your home and getting it ready to greet family and friends! Merry Christmas!