French Silk Pie

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 30 chocolate wafers
• 2 tablespoons dates, pitted, chopped (i use medjool)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon brewed coffee (optional)
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin, unflavored
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dutch process)
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (not unsweetened)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, whites only
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Recipe

• 1 for the crust: preheat oven to 325 degrees f, then lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan.
• 2 in a food processor, combine chocolate wafers & dates, processing until finely chopped, then add oil & water & process until moistened.
• 3 press into the bottom & sides of the prepared pie pan.
• 4 bake crust for 10 minutes, or until crisp, then cool completely on a wire rack.
• 5 for the filling: in a small bowl, combine coffee (if using) & 1 tablespoon of water, then sprinkle the gelatin on top & set aside to soften.
• 6 in a small saucepan, whisk together the egg, milk, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar & cocoa until smooth, then cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, from 5 to 7 minutes. do not let mixture come to a simmer.
• 7 remove from heat, add reserved gelatin mixture & stir until dissolved.
• 8 add chocolate & vanilla, stirring until melted, then set aside to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
• 9 meanwhile, in a wide saucepan, bring about 1 inch of water to a bare simmer over low heat.
• 10 then, in a heatproof bowl, large enough to fit over the saucepan, combine egg whites, cream of tartar, remaining 3 tablespoons of water & remaining 5 tablespoons of brown sugar. set the bowl over the saucepan & beat with an electric mixer at low speed until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees f, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• 11 increase mixer speed to high & continue beating for another 3 1/2 minutes, then remove bowl from the heat & beat meringue until cool, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
• 12 whisk 1/4 of the meringue into the reserved chocolate mixture until smooth. scrape chocolate mixture into remaining meringue & use a whisk to incorporate it with a folding motion.
• 13 spoon this into the crust & chill, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours. the pie will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.