Chocolate Pie Showdown


Some of you might know that I have been on a dessert bender lately; I was always under the misconception that I was a "cook" not a "baker" and so I just didn't try... I know that this was lame, which is why I am glad that I have sought to change this. Since I had already tackled raspberry ricotta cheesecake, tiramisu, and key lime pie, it was time to take on a new challenge: chocolate.

On a Saturday, I woke up and was stricken with a need to make French Silk Pie (get the recipe here). The next day, having left over chocolate in my pantry and guests coming that night, I thought to myself, "why not make another chocolate pie and have a showdown!" I decided to go in a more America direction and made a chocolate cream pie with meringue (here is a similar recipe).

Tackling chocolate pies wasn't as hard as I imagined it to be. I was intimidated by melting the chocolate properly and making sure not to burn the milk or cream... I was worried about the pies setting properly, etc. Let's face it, baking is tough business, and there is a lot that can go wrong. And it's not like cooking...because when you are cooking, there is always room to salvage whatever might have gone wrong in the process. Not so in baking!

My concerns, though, we unfounded in the end as my baking skills seemed to have come to the appropriate level for the recipes I was making. Here are pictures of the processes! As for who won the chocolate pie showdown? Well, the consensus among my guests was that both pies were good, although totally different. Overall? The favorite was the French silk pie.

French Silk Pie: 

Melting the chocolate went slowly, so patience was
required, but totally worth it

Homemade whipped cream... oh yes !

Then it's added to the melted chocolate mixture 

And it gets so creamy and dreamy.
Add it to the shell, and then let it set in the fridge for several hours

Top with (even more!) homemade whipped cream and
chocolate shavings and this dessert is a dream! 

Chocolate Cream Pie w/ Meringue 


Well the ingredients look similar 

The mixture looks like pudding, though, when it cooks
up on the stove! 

Whipping up some meringue 

Pour the hot chocolate filling into the shell 

They say that it's important to spoon the meringue into the
shell whilst the filling is hot! 
It got a little messy, and I had to get in there
with my hands

Out of the oven: let's just say, my "whispy peaks" leave
something to be desired! Haha. 

This tasted "American" to core, and yummy. The contrast
between the top and the filling was just perfect! 




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