French Silk Pie - chocolate decadence

[WebbPA]

I suppose you don't know that I'm a gourmet chef, ok, adequate cook.  Cooking is pretty easy, you just learn a few basic techniques - bake, sautee, broil ... - then follow the directions in the book except where they look ridiculous.  If you like a dish at a restaurant just ask them for the recipe.  The worst they can do is say no.

(Amusing sidebar - I frequent a restaurant that has a KILLER thick Italian vinaigrette.  I asked them for the recipe and the chek admitted they bought it in bulk from Costco.)

I had occasion to eat a $5 slice of pie called a French Silk Pie.  It was awesome - chocolate thicker and fluffier than mousse!  It was well worth the $5 until I figured out that it cost them less than $2 to make the whole pie.

I have made this 3 times and reached perfection.  (See my notes on how to improve it) It takes about 15 minutes to make it and (Attention, busy Moms) - NO BAKING.  Here it is:

French Silk Pie

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter (NOT margarine) **
3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled **
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1 9-inch pastry shell **
Unsweetened whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate curls (optional)

In a small mixer bowl cream sugar and butter about 4 minutes or till fluffy.  Stir in cooled chocolate and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed of electric mixer after each addition and scraping sides of bowl constantly.  Turn into pastry shell.  Chill overnight *** or until set.  Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls, if desired. Makes 10 servings.

* Just buy a graham cracker crust, about $1.

** Here's the real secret. Look in any cookbook under "emergency substitutions" and you will see that unsweetened chocolate is just cocoa and shortening (oil).  Increase the butter to 1 cup (1 stick - it's also a lot easier to measure) and use 9 TABLESPOONS of cocoa instead of the chocolate.

*** I recommend that you resist the temptation to eat this as soon as possible.  Just lick the bowl and let it set for at least 12 hours.

PS - This is definititely not "heart healthy" or any other kind of healthy.  You might just have a heart attack as you are eating it.

[BFMF]

My grandparents buy a French Silk Pie and a Chocolate Pie every couple weeks for a big weekend dinner

[WebbPA]

Now they can let the grandkids make one - a 6 year old can make this! - for $2.

I have been warned that raw eggs may contain salmonella.  I've eaten raw eggs for years and never gotten salmonella so who are you going to trust - a wimpy doctor or your taste buds?

[BFMF]

A 6-year old chef may be able to, I however would not. When it comes to cooking, I have a special knack of either burning it, or causing it to turn into something that nobody can explain