THE BEST FRENCH SILK PIE EVER!

(this recipe has been doubled; use recipe as written below for 9-inch pie)

6-8 Servings
Prep: 40 min. Cook: 10 min. + chilling 40 10 50

Ingredients
1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Whipped cream and chocolate curls, optional

Directions
Prepare baked 9-inch pie crust. Cool to room temperature.

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. Add cooled chocolate mixture; beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.

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. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece (calculated without whipped cream and chocolate curls) equals 450 calories, 33 g fat (19 g saturated fat), 139 mg cholesterol, 223 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein.