I’ve seen folks take all of the filling from a slice of pie but leave the crust. But that’s not me. When it comes to pie, I want as much crust as possible, which is why I enjoy slab pie so much! Because the pie is larger and the filling is thinner, the crust-to-filling ratio is optimal. (Or at least I believe so.) A French Silk Pie excellently shows this notion.

While the filling of a standard French Silk Pie may seem excessive, a slab pie provides the ideal balance of rich chocolatey flavor and crunchy crust. And it serves a large crowd, which is always a plus. (Whether you have a crowd or simply want additional slices for yourself.) Here’s a wonderful thing: you can use your favorite pastry recipe or a store-bought crust for this; the choice is entirely yours.

But, whatever route you go, you’ll need the equivalent of two crusts. If you’re using store-bought crust, simply stack them together and roll them out into a rectangle somewhat larger than your baking sheet. (Use a half-sheet pan, approximately 13×18 inches.)Trim and crimp as needed, then line with parchment paper with pie weights or dried beans before blind baking until gently brown.

Then comes the filling, which is quite straightforward. You’ll need butter, sugar, eggs, vanis illa, heavy cream, and some bittersweet chocolate.First, you’ll melt the chocolate. And the good news: you can use your microwave! No need for double boilers. Simply nuke it for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s smooth and melty.

Then you need to use your stovetop. But it’s a basic matter and not a huge problem. Cook sugar and eggs until thick enough to coat a spoon’s back. Remove from heat and add vanilla and melted chocolate. Allow to cool, then whip your butter in a separate dish until frothy. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until it is light and fluffy.

Whip up some whipped cream and stir it into the chocolate mixture to add airiness, but leave the majority for the top. Then you fill. Yum. The finishing touch is some whipped cream and chocolate shavings because a little extra chocolate never hurts anything. This is a sumptuous, indulgent pie that can feed a large group of people. Those are all fantastic features, but what I really adore is the ratio of crispy crust to velvety chocolate filling – it’s a dream!