February 14, 2026 | Posted in:

Top-down view of a whole French Silk Pie with dramatic whipped cream swooshes and bittersweet chocolate curls.

French Silk Pie

Published: February 2026
Author: Recipe sourced from Epicurious; Photo: @travis.rainey, Food Styling: @curlygirlcooks
Recipe origin: USA

From Heritage Cookbook creator Kristin L.’s ‘Make Ahead Dinner Party’ menu!

Yields 8 to 10 servings / 40 minutes (plus cooling and chilling)
Crust
24 Oreo or other creme-stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling
3 large eggs
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, preferably 70% cacao, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup heavy cream

Topping and Assembly
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup (28 g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt
Chocolate curls (for serving; optional)

Crust
Crumble 24 Oreo or other creme-stuffed chocolate sandwich cookies into a large resealable plastic bag and seal. Using a rolling pin, crush to very fine crumbs. (Alternatively, pulse cookies in food processor just until fine crumbs have formed; you should have about 2 cups.)
Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl and add 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. Mix until crumbs are evenly saturated in butter and transfer to a standard 9″-diameter glass pie dish. Press into an even layer across bottom and up sides with a flat-bottomed measuring cup. Chill crust at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

Filling
Whisk together 3 large eggs and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar in a medium heatproof bowl set over a large saucepan of barely simmering water (bowl should not touch water). Heat, vigorously whisking often, until sugar is almost completely dissolved and mixture is pale yellow and slightly aerated, about 5 minutes.
Add 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, preferably 70% cacao, finely chopped (about 1 cup), 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is melted and mixture is thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and let cool (do not cover; about 30 minutes).
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add cooled chocolate mixture, and beat just until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula, then mix on medium-high speed until slightly lightened in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Set butter mixture aside.
Beat 1 cup heavy cream in another medium bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Scrape whipped cream into reserved butter mixture and gently stir to combine. Scrape filling into crust and smooth into an even layer. Chill (uncovered) in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.

Topping and Assembly
Just before serving pie, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, ¼ cup (28 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (be careful not to over beat). Dollop whipped cream over pie filling and, using offset spatula or a spoon, spread out to crust in an even layer, creating dramatic swirls and swooshes. Top with chocolate curls if desired.

Do Ahead: Pie (without toppings) can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap or buttered wax paper and keep chilled.
“This was a favorite of mine growing up! I’ve played around with the recipe over the years, and think this version is perfect!”

Ready to turn your recipes into something memorable? Click here to get started!

No comment | Post a Comment

September 12, 2025 | Posted in:

A loaf of French bread

Governor’s French Bread

Published on: September 11th/2025
Author: Suzana Oliveira & June Reeder McCarthy
Recipe origin: France

This is a Frannie Packard recipe, Executive Chef at the Governor’s Residence before me. Billy Graham told Frannie that it was the best bread he had ever eaten. My family now considers it the ‘Canada French Bread’.

2 cups warm water, 100-115 degrees
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3 1/2 – 4 cups bread flour

1. Place the water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the beater bar. Allow the yeast to proof (dissolve) about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add salt and 3 cups flour. When the flour is incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add about 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough wraps around the beater and cleans the sides of the bowl. You may not use all the flour. The worst thing you can do to bread dough is to add too much flour.
2. Scrape the dough off the beater bar and leave the rough mass of dough in the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn dough over itself in the bowl about 4 times. Cover, and allow to rise another 45 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the dough on a lightly floured board, cut dough in thirds or half depending on your loaf pan. Roll into French loaf form. Place the dough onto a greased French loaf pan. Allow to rise with a covered towel. When the dough has doubled, make 3 slashes in each loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer reads an internal temperature of 200 degrees. Remove from the pan immediately to cool.

Whole Wheat Variation
2 1/2 cups water for the 2 cups water
2 cups all-purpose flour & 4 cups whole wheat flour for the 3 1/2 cups bread flour
Method remains the same.

Ready to turn your recipes into something memorable? Click here to get started!

No comment | Post a Comment

August 12, 2025 | Posted in:

Tomates à la Provençale

Published on: August 7th/2025
Author: Suzana Oliveira & Abeille S.
Recipe origin: France

Tomates à la Provençale is a rustic French dish, especially popular in the summer when tomatoes are at their peak. Simple yet full of flavor, it celebrates the freshness of seasonal produce. This recipe combines the natural sweetness of tomatoes with the aromatic blend of garlic, parsley, and olive oil, creating a taste that captures the essence of the Mediterranean.

This recipe was contributed by Abeille, whose family moved from France to the United States when she was a child. She recently collected a number of her mother and grandmother’s favorite seasonal recipes, and her family especially loves this one served with lamb.

4 market-fresh tomatoes
A large bunch of parsley
1 garlic clove
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs

Cut each tomato in half horizontally (around the equator).
Heat a generous tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet.
When the oil is hot, place the tomatoes cut-side down in the pan.
Sear them on high heat until lightly browned (about 2 minutes), then flip them over.
Lower the heat to low/medium and cover with a lid.
Finely chop the parsley and the peeled garlic clove.
In a bowl, combine the parsley and garlic.
Add one or two tablespoons of breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon a generous amount of this mixture onto each tomato half.
Continue cooking on low heat until done.
Delicious served with lamb chops.

Ready to turn your recipes into something memorable? Click here to get started!

No comment | Post a Comment

March 4, 2014 | Posted in:

Coq-au-vin

This is one of those recipes that I often make, but never with an actual recipe! It’s a no-fail favorite with friends and family!

Ingredients

8 oz (1 package) sliced mushrooms- cremini works best!
50g pancetta- diced
10 pearl onions
1 tsp butter
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp butter
9 chicken thighs
1/4 cup flour
1 bottle red wine

Preparation Instructions

Melt 1 tsp butter in a heavy bottom pan. Brown mushrooms, pancetta and pearl onions. Remove from heat. Dredge chicken in flour. Brown in additional butter. Add fresh thyme. Return mushrooms, pancetta and onion to the pan. Add wine. Turn heat down and simmer 1 hour, or until chicken is cooked through and soft.

Although it’s not the traditional way to serve it, I love serving Coq-au-vin on cheesy egg noodles. I find Gruyere or Emmenthal cheese has the best flavor to accompany the sauce, but swiss cheese works just as well!

No comment | Post a Comment
60 queries in 0.108 seconds.