French Silk Pie - India Style

I've decided to find recipes for things any time I have a craving. Today I opened up the refrigerator, and thought a green bean casserole was a French Silk Pie...hence, this post! ___________________________________________________

French Silk Pie Recipe

Part 1:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 one ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 3 large eggs

1. Melt chocolate in a small bowl over hot water. Do not let the chocolate harden up.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter at medium to high speed about 1 minute.
3. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and continue to beat until light and fluffy. This will take 3-5 minutes. Scrape bowl often. It must be mixed long enough so it is no longer gritty.
4. Slowly add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture, beating on low to medium speed until the chocolate is well blended and mixture is smooth and creamy. Scrape again.
5. On medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating after each one before adding the next egg.Scrape bowl.
6. Add vanilla and give it one more mix.
7. Spread into The Best Ever Pie Crust. Set aside.

Part 2:

• 1 cup Whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
• Chocolate curls, optional for garnish

1. In large mixing bowl, beat cream until it sets up. There is no way to explain how long this will take. Every mixer is different. It should be light and fluffy and look like soft whipped cream. Do NOT let it get to the butter stage which can happen very quickly. If in doubt, under mix. You can always whip it a little more after the sugar is added.
2. Add powdered sugar and and vanilla and beat until fluffy and stiff. Do not over beat.
3. Put whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and decorate the pie. Or pile the cream on high with a spatula.
4. Sprinkle with chocolate curls.
5. Refrigerate pie and any leftovers.

Makes one 9 inch pie

_____________________________________________________________

Heavy Cream Substitute - "I substitute heavy cream with a thickened low-fat milk. I blend 1 tablespoon flour into 1 cup milk and use it in cooked dishes, such as soups, sauces and casseroles. It provides the consistency of heavy cream without the fat. I adjust the amount depending on the desired end result. With most of my recipes, there are so many other great flavors involved that no one notices whether I’ve used real cream or not."

___________________________________________________________________

Flaky Pie Crust Recipe

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup cool water (more or less) not cold

1st Step:

• Measure flour and salt into a large bowl making a well in the middle. Put shortening into the well.
• Coat both hands with flour well. Being careful not to touch the shortening, break up the shortening into chunks.
• This is an important step. Do not let the heat of your hands melt the shortening. The least amount of contact with the shortening the better.
• With both hands, work the shortening into the flour using a circular, rubbing motion, always keeping contact with the flour, not the shortening, pick up more flour and shortening as you go. Always keep the shortening in the middle of the flour.
• It should look like a small peas, with the shortening being totally incorporated into the flour.

2nd Step:

• Pour half the water in, gathering it into a ball. Continue adding the water until it comes together in a soft ball of dough. You may need more or less water depending on the humidity. Do NOT knead the dough as in bread making.
• Work the dough as little as you have to, just enough to keep it formed in a ball.
• Divide the dough into 3 or 4 equal portions.
• Cover the dough and refrigerate it for later, or use now.

3rd Step:

• Take a handful of flour and throw/sprinkle it down on a counter top. Put the ball of dough in the middle of the flour.
• Coat your rolling pin with flour. Start rolling the dough with the pin, turning the dough to get a round shape. This may take several passes over the dough, turning this way and that. Flip the dough over carefully, adding flour to your surface as needed. Finish rolling on this side to make a circle that is 4" bigger than your pan.
• Fold the dough in half, place it in the pan unfolding to fit. Trim if necessary, but not too much. You want to have enough to fold the edges under.
• Fold the edges under, turning the pan and pressing the edge as you go.
• You now have a choice as to how you want to finish the crust. If you are making an open pie as in pumpkin or pecan, press the edges down with a fork to seal the edge and give it a nice pattern.
• Or, you can crimp the edges using your thumb and forefinger of your left hand and the forefinger of your right hand, and go around the edge of the pie making a v-shaped pattern, all the while keeping the edge slightly higher than the pie pan.

Makes 3-4, 8 or 9 inch crusts