This No-Bake French Silk Pie was born out of tragic life circumstances: I didn’t have a functioning oven for a couple weeks.

Oh, the chaos! The heartbreak! A baker without an oven.

Listen, I was not gonna let that little fact keep me from having dessert so I had to come up with something. I tend to gravitate towards elaborate classic desserts that require intrinsic layers and cutting in butter.

So no-bake desserts usually feel like cheating. It’s almost like I have to work hard for my desserts, I have to earn them through hours of dedication. How silly!

No-Bake French Silk Pie

For a crazy girl who thinks no-bake pies are not challenging enough, this No-Bake French Silk Pie is a good compromise. There’s enough cooking involved that it doesn’t feel like you’re just throwing a bunch of ingredients together and calling it a homemade dessert.

By the end of it, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment for having such a beautiful pie from such little, but dignified work.

The crust is a simple unbaked graham cracker crust, so it’s quick and uncomplicated. It’s a mixture of graham cracker crumbs, almond meal, melted butter, and peanut butter that comes together in seconds. It gives the tart texture and is a wonderful base for the silky chocolate filling.

If you can’t get peanut butter, almond butter is a great substitute.

If you’re looking for a buttery, baked crust, this all-butter crust is an excellent option and I use it for most of my pies.

The silky, buttery filling is made in a few minutes, the cream and butter creamed until light and fluffy.

For a nice finish, you can top it with more whipped cream, but I find creme fraiche to be an elegant, understated option. It’s rich and just sour enough to balance out the sweetness of the dish.

If you can’t find creme fraiche, I wouldn’t recommend its usual substitute sour cream. Sour cream is more sour in flavor and less rich in essence, not making it an eligible option here. In that case, I think you’re better off doing a layer of whipped cream or meringue.

A great thing about this pie in particular is that if you’re worried about making a classic Silky French Pie which usually involves raw eggs, that part is eliminated here. No raw eggs!

No raw eggs

Vintage versions of this mousse-like filling call for raw eggs, but this is the age of pandemics and neuroses and we like to keep things extra safe.

This version involves heating the eggs, bringing them up to a safe temperature, eliminating any concerns about salmonella. Yay!

Cooking the eggs to 165F reduces the risk of salmonella and other food-borne illnesses.

A French Silk Pie is meant to be airy and well, silky. So creaming is an important step not to be rushed. Creaming and folding are actually essential, delicate steps in dessert making.

You must cream the butter until pale and fluffy, and this takes several minutes. It’s a good exercise in patience! Remember, you’re supposed to earn this.

Then, when you think you’re done beating ingredients into fluffiness, there comes the heavy cream. Another delicate, sensitive ingredient that requires special attention – these snowflake ingredients, I’m telling you – they need time to reach stiff peaks (stiff peaks, not butter!)

And finally, there’s the folding – a culinary mystery. Slowly folding the whipped cream into the chocolate ensures that all that air you incorporated into the cream and butter don’t deflate and become dense.

So, remember: light, fluffy, airy. Whip, whip, fold.

Make new memories

I love making this No-Bake French Silk Pie during the holidays and even for Thanksgiving. It’s always a beloved hit.

I think a big slice of comforting pie goes really well with a big old comfort movie. My recommendation for this one would be Julie & Julia. It’s got all the elements of a classic: Julia Child, Nora Ephron, stunning food, New York City, Paris, and finding new dreams at every age.

If you make this No-Bake French Silk Pie, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you and your favorite desserts and your favorite comfort movie. Too many questions?