French Silk Pie with Coconut Crust for the New Year

My Day So Far: Preparing for New Year's festivities, short romp at the playground, quick trip to the eye doctor for a new prescription (too much squinting!)

Naptime Goals: Take 20 minutes to whip up French Silk Pie so it is set in time for dinner. Clean-up and de-Christmas house. Set table, prepare centerpieces, etc (!)

Tonight's Meal: Citrus Roast Chicken with potatoes, Green Beans with Walnuts, Warm rolls, French Silk Pie

Parenting Lesson of the Day: Toddlers love to celebrate all holidays in the same fashion - with presents, party tunes and chocolate.

Happy New Year! The brevity of this post is self-explanatory. It is New Year's Eve and I have loads of things I need to be doing. Tonight I am looking forward to a fun evening of festivities with family and friends. It won't be anything too wild or rambunctious, but it will be far more exciting then some of our New Years' in recent memory. Two years ago I had a 5 week old cuddled up in my arms and spent the holiday watching Spider Man 2 on DVR and was asleep by 9:30. Then, last year, I had a one-year old and we all ate our favorite Orecchiette with Pancetta and Three Cheeses and were asleep by 10:30. Can you say boring?!

This year things are bound to get better, if for no other reason than dessert. The dinner I am making is comprised of some favorite comfort foods followed by an all-star chocolate treat, French Silk Pie. At first glance this seems to resemble a recipe for chocolate mousse, but I assure you it is far richer and more decandent then a simple chocolate and cream whip. This no-bake concoction (other than the crust, that is) has a dense chocolate body with the texture somewhere between a mousse and a soft fudge. When eaten it melts swiftly on the tongue, leaving a smooth chocolate flavor that is polished off with a fluffy whipped cream top.

When I make this I prefer to use a coconut crust, although a graham cracker crust or chocolate cookie crust work well, too. I always make this during my daughter's naptime. That way it has plenty of time to set before it is topped with whipped cream and set out for dessert. I wish all of you and yours a fantastic New Year's Eve filled with fun and laughs. See you in 2010!

French Silk Pie with Coconut Crust

2 c. sweetened shredded coconut

4 T. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. sugar

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 t. vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. whipping cream

4 T. powdered sugar

For the Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.

2. Mix coconut and cooled butter in a bowl then press into a 9" pie plate. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until coconut is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the Pie:

1. Cream butter and sugar together in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla extract. Mix well.

2. Add 2 eggs to the chocolate mixture and beat on HIGH speed for 5 minutes. (You must beat it for 5 minutes, not a second less!)

3. Scrape down the sides, restart mixer and add remaining two eggs. Beat on HIGH speed for 5 more minutes. The mixture will be voluminous and a light brown color.

4. Pour chocolate mixture into cooled pie shell and spread it evenly with a spatula. Allow it to remain light and fluffy, don't try to compress it into the shell. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours or longer. THE PIE CAN BE MADE UP TO TWO DAYS AHEAD AT THIS POINT.

5. Beat cream and powdered sugar in a bowl. Spread whipped cream evenly over top of chocolate and serve.