SILK IN FRENCH RECIPES

Steps:

• Cut pie crust in half. Repackage and refrigerate 1 half for another use. On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining half into an 8-in. circle. Transfer to a 7-in. pie plate; flute edge., Line shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 4 minutes. Remove foil; bake until crust is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack., In a small saucepan, combine sugar and eggs until well blended. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 160° and coats the back of a metal spoon. Remove from the heat. Stir in chocolate and vanilla until smooth. Cool to lukewarm (90°), stirring occasionally. , In a small bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add cooled chocolate mixture; beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. , In another large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. , Pour into crust. Chill for at least 6 hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush beaten egg over all surfaces of pie crust, including edges. Prick holes into the bottom and sides of the crust using a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Combine sugar and 2 eggs in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously, adjusting heat as needed to make sure mixture does not boil or bubble, until it coats the back of a spoon and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 10 minutes.
• Remove mixture from heat and stir in melted chocolate and vanilla extract; allow to cool to lukewarm temperature, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Beat butter in a separate large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add chocolate mixture and continue to beat on high speed until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
• Beat cold heavy cream in a separate bowl until slightly thick. Add powdered sugar all at once and continue to beat on medium to medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture, stirring very gently as to not decrease the volume by stirring too much. Pour into the prepared pie crust and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.