French Silk Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

• One single pie crust, blind baked in a pie plate and cooled
• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• 3 large egg yolks
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• Freshly whipped cream, for serving
• Optional: chocolate shavings

Directions

1. Beat the heavy cream until whipped, then place it in the refrigerator while you work on the rest of the filling.
2. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and let it cool.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, if you are using one, or in another heatproof bowl, whisk together the yolks, sugar, and water. Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water to create a double boiler, and whisk with energy until the mixture reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Take it off the heat.
4. Right away, whip the hot yolk mixture on high speed, using towels around the bowl to protect your hands, until it has thickened, increased in volume, and cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
5. Turn the mixer down to low, then slowly pour the cooled melted chocolate into the yolk mixture. Mix until everything is incorporated.
6. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the whipped cream, rewhipping the cream first if it has softened in the refrigerator, and try not to knock out the air.
7. Pour the filling into the cooled, blind-baked pie crust. Refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours.
8. Just before serving, finish with more whipped cream and chocolate shavings. For neater slices, dip a knife in warm water and wipe it clean between cuts.