How Did French Silk Pie Become An American Staple?

In the United States, we can thank France for many culinary treasures — french fries, beef bourguignon, ratatouille, and crepes. But, on the flip side, the French silk pie is 100% an all-American creation. 

The pie was concocted back in 1951, when a woman from Kensington, Maryland named Betty Cooper participated in a Pillsbury Bake-Off contest. She decided to submit her French Silk Chocolate Pie, and won the competition. So, what was so unique about her treat? Well, instead of a pudding filling, it was made with a chocolate mousse, creating a silky, creamy finish. 

In fact, it's quite simple to make the pie just like Cooper did over 70 years ago: After following your favorite homemade pie crust recipe (or using a store-bought alternative), all you need to assemble is a chocolate filling (consisting of chocolate, softened butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs) and then adorn the top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Ever since the '50s, the recipe still to this day appears in magazines, cookbooks, and all over social media — with many taking different spins on Cooper's original innovation. 

While the original French silk pie that Betty Cooper made in 1951 is still an instant hit at parties all these years later, there are additional ways to give the dessert the gravitas it deserves. 

One way to boost the treat is to add a touch of coffee and some blackberries to create an Espresso French Silk Pie With Blackberry Compote, which still honors the original but also serves up a unique twist.

Since many of the recipes that exist for French silk pie do not require using the oven, that means the pie contains raw eggs. So, if you are feeling cautious, but still want to take a stab at making French silk pie, try placing the egg yolks, sugar, and water over a double broiler; after whisking for a while and adding the chocolate, the mixture will be thick — similar to the texture in the original recipe, but without the need to consume raw eggs. 

Another way to add flair to the French silk pie is to swap out the crust for different variations. Anything from an Oreo crust (that you can make with just regular Oreos and melted butter) or a sugar cookie crust (simply roll out store-bought or homemade cookie dough so that it covers your pie dish of choice) will take a classic like French silk pie to new heights.