French Silk Pie

For the Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie crust into a 14-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie pan, pressing into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Tuck the excess dough under and crimp the edge as desired. Poke the bottom and sides all over with a fork. Freeze the crust for 30 minutes. (The crust can also be frozen for several days before baking. Just cover with plastic wrap or foil once fully frozen.)
3. Place frozen crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the paper and weights. Brush crust all over with beaten egg. Continue baking until the bottom appears dry and the edges are golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove and let cool completely.

For the Filling:

1. While the crust is cooling, bring a small pot filled with 2 inches of water to a simmer over medium heat. In a heat-proof bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs. Place the bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water. (The bowl should be large enough to rest on top of the pot.)
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160F or until it feels warm to the touch and completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers. Remove from the pot.
3. Add the chocolate and vanilla. Gently whisk until completely melted and the mixture is smooth. It will likely thicken as you stir, turning into a pudding-like consistency. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until the mixture doesn’t feel warm but isn’t solidified, about 30 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat on medium speed until very fluffy, and soft shiny peaks form, about 3 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the whipped chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Pour into the cool pie shell.
6. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to a day.

For the Topping:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat on medium speed cream until thickened, about 2 minutes. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar. Beat until soft peaks form, about 2 more minutes. Spoon on top of the chilled filling. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.