French Silk Pie Bars

Make the Pie Dough Base

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 2

把黄油放在一个小碗里,把它切成了薄片in the freezer. Fill a medium liquid measuring cup with water and add plenty of ice. Let both the butter and the ice water sit and get very cold for 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined. Add half of the chilled butter and mix on low speed until the butter is just starting to break down, about 1 minute. Add the rest of the butter and continue mixing until the butter is broken down in various sizes (some butter will be incorporated into the dough, some will be a bit large, but most should be about the size of small peas). Stop the mixer and use your hands to check for any dry patches of dough on the bottom of the bowl; incorporate the dry flour as best you can. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add about ¼ cup (60 g) of the ice water and mix until the dough starts to come together but is still quite shaggy (if the dough is not coming together, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does).

Step 4

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten it slightly into a square. Gather any loose/dry pieces that won’t stick to the dough and place them on top of the square. Gently fold the dough over onto itself and flatten again. Repeat this process three or four more times, until all the loose pieces are worked into the dough, being careful not to overwork the dough. Flatten the dough one last time into a 6 in disk.

Step 5

Make sure your work surface is lightly floured and roll the dough into a 9 by 13-inch rectangle. Transfer the dough to a 9 by 13-inch pan. Place pie weights on top of the dough (this helps keep the pie crust flat), and bake until the dough is golden brown, 20 to 28 minutes. (Start checking the dough at 20 minutes. The dough goes from light golden brown to dark golden brown very quickly.)

Step 6

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Remove the pie weights and let the crust cool to room temperature before using.

Make the filling

Step 7

Pour about 1 in of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over the pan of boiling water, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir almost constantly until just melted, and then set aside to cool. Add more water to the saucepan if needed, and bring to a boil again.

Step 8

碗的搅拌器,搅拌鸡蛋,granulated and brown sugars, salt, and water with a rubber spatula to combine. Place the bowl over the saucepan, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir with the spatula until the sugar is completely melted and reaches a temperature of 160°F, 4 to 5 minutes. While you are stirring, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula, as this will ensure no sugar crystals are lurking on the sides and will help prevent the eggs from cooking.

Step 9

Remove the bowl from the heat and place it in the stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Whisk the mixture on high speed until light and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes. The bowl should have cooled down to room temperature at this point. Switch to the paddle, add the melted chocolate and vanilla, and beat on low speed until combined. With the mixer running on medium speed, add a few pieces of the butter at a time, beating until completely incorporated (this will take a few minutes). Move the mixture to a large bowl.

Step 10

If not using immediately, cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and hold for up to 24 hours.

Step 11

When ready to assemble, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the heavy cream on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and continue beating until the cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 30 seconds. Using a spatula, gently fold the chilled whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. The chocolate filling will be a little stiff at first, but the cream will incorporate; just keep mixing until it is completely combined.

Make the whipped cream

Step 12

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and switch to the whisk. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the heavy cream and whisk until fully combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff peaks form, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, 2 to 3 minutes.

To assemble

Step 13

Scoop the chocolate filling onto the prepared pie crust and use an offset spatula to even out the top. Top with the whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired. Chill the whole pie for at least 1 hour before slicing. The pie can be held unsliced in the refrigerator for 8 hours, and bars will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container, although the crust will not be as crisp as time goes on.