This girl is finally started to embrace playing outside in the winter. For a while I could barely get her to set foot outside (the complete opposite of last year). I even got her to put on her snow suit and play in the measly dusting of snow we got today.I was hoping to take her sledding when I heard we were getting snow over the weekend. Sadly there was nowhere near enough snow to even pull a sled through. This is Wisconsin people, where is my blizzard?Enough about snow, let’s talk about pie. I made this pie for Thanksgiving, and it was a hit. I neglected to take any decent photos that day, and when she requested we make pie again I suggested chocolate pie and she agreed. She did far more tasting than helping this go around, but to be fair this pie is mostly made on the stove top so it was a littler harder to help. She promptly devoured a piece as soon as it was ready, and cried when I told her she couldn’t have a second piece for lunch. I highly recommend this pie for a beautiful and impressive dessert. It’s super rich and beyond tasty.
French Silk Pie

Ingredients

Crust:
60 Vanilla wafers, finely crushed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
3 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate shavings, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. For crust: In a food processor pulse vanilla wafers until they are fine crumbs. Add cinnamon and melted butter. Pulse unit well mixed.

2. Pour mixture into the bottom of a 9” springform pan and press into the bottom and sides of the pan, in an even layer.

3. Bake crust for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4. For the Filling: In a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water, whisk together yolks, granulated sugar, and salt until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in bittersweet chocolate until melted. Remove from heat. Let cool 10 minutes.

5. Beat 2 cups of cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Whisk one third of whipped cream into chocolate mixture. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Refrigerate at least 3 hours.

6. Beat remaining 1 cup cream with confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop onto pie, sprinkle with chocolate shavings, and serve.