These French Silk Brownies are a decadent treat that folks flip over! If you love amazing treats, don’t miss my Peanut Butter Oreo Dessert and Brownie Peanut Butter Dessert!
French Silk Brownies
This recipe can be broken down into two main components. The brownie layer and the French Silk filling layer. Both are amazing and delicious on their own, but when combined create an over-the-top dessert that folks will rave about!
How to Make Fudgy Brownies
When I am making brownies in a 9×13 pan this is my go-to recipe. It is thick and rich and always comes out perfect, no matter what. Use a prepared (spray with non-stick spray or use GOOP) 9×13 pan.
Combine ingredients and bake in a 9×13 pan and then set aside to cool to room temperature. While the brownies are cooling, prepare the French Silk layer.
How to Make French Silk Filling
I opted to use the recipe my grandma shared with me a few years ago. Come to find out it’s from an old Martha Stewart magazine!
Here are the ingredients:
- dark chocolate– I opted for a high percentage of cacao in my chocolate, 65%. You can use any dark chocolate you prefer. I don’t recommend milk chocolate as the final result was not as rich and flavorful.
- butter– I use unsalted butter as I wanted it to be fresh and I also wanted to control the salt in my recipe
- granulated sugar – I have also used ultra-fine granulated sugar with success, but it is not necessary
- vanilla extract – good quality is a must!
- cocoa powder – I used Dutch-processed cocoa, but Hershey’s extra dark cocoa will also work.
- eggs – I like my eggs at room temperature and use large eggs.
Start by melting the chocolate. You can use a double-broiler or the microwave. You want the chocolate to be melted and slightly cooled for this recipe, so I always start with this step. Add the butter and sugar to your stand mixer and blend on high for about 2 minutes. The butter and sugar should be light and fluffy.
With your mixer on low, drizzle in the melted chocolate. Allow the ingredients to fully incorporate.
Add in the vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix until incorporated. Finally, add in the eggs. Let mix on low for a moment, then turn the mixer to high and mix for 10 minutes. The mixture should turn lighter, increase in volume, and be very smooth.
It takes a little time, but this method is totally worth it! Creamy chocolatey perfection!
How to Make Chocolate Shavings
To get chocolate shavings, heat a chocolate bar (I like dark chocolate, you can use whatever you would like) in the microwave for up to 30 seconds, and then use a potato peeler to get little chocolate curls. My curls sat for about an hour so relaxed significantly and didn’t hold their curl shape and some broke. My chocolate wasn’t quite warm enough! This happens to me often so I just roll with it. 😉 One day I will take the time to perfect those sweet little curls!
How to Assemble these French Silk Brownies
Begin by preparing your brownies. Bake them in a 9×13 pan and then allow them to cool to room temperature.
Prepare the French silk filling. It should pour easily onto the brownies. I like to smooth it out with a small offset spatula.
Prepare and add the whipped cream layer. I use a spoon to place dollops across the entire surface. Then carefully use a small offset spatula to smooth the whipped topping out, being careful to not press too hard or mix the french silk filling in with the whipped topping.
Sprinkle chocolate curls over top.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. You could eat these immediately, but the filling will be very loose and creamy. If you cut the brownies right away, the filling will run over and create a bit of a mess in your pan. After refrigeration, the filling sets and stays in place nicely when cut.
French Silk Brownies
Ingredients
BROWNIES
- 1 ½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup (39 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 170 g) butter, softened or room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
FRENCH SILK FILLING
- 4.4 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
WHIPPED TOPPING
- 1 cup (238 g) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup (31 g) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
BROWNIES
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray or GOOP.
- In a large bowl add flour, cornstarch, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together ingredients until they are fully incorporated.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer off, add in the flour mixture. Turn mixer on low and mix until ingredients are well combined.
- Pour brownies into a prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F. Let brownies cool to room temperature.
FRENCH SILK FILLING
- Chop dark chocolate and add to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second increments until melted, stirring in between (about 1 ½ minutes total). Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar. Turn mixer on high for 1 minute. Butter and sugar should be lighter and fluffy.
- With the mixer on low, pour in the melted (and slightly cooled) chocolate. Allow ingredients to combine for 30 seconds then turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides.
- Add vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix for about 30 seconds.
- Add in 4 eggs and turn the mixer on high for 10 minutes. The filling should lighten, increase in volume, and appear very smooth and shiny. (The filling will darken after assembly.)
WHIPPED TOPPING
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, pour the heavy whipping cream. Whip (or use the whisk attachment on a hand-held mixer) for about 2 minutes, or until soft peaks occur.
- Add in confectioners' sugar and whip until there are firm peaks. (Lift the whisk attachment out and make sure the whipped topping holds its shape.)
ASSEMBLING BROWNIES
- When brownies are cooled to room temperature, pour french silk filling over top. Smooth with a small offset spatula.
- Spread whipped topping over top of the filling and smooth with an offset spatula.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Hi “I am baker”…. this is how I refer to you when people ask me how I became such a damn good baker! (Please excuse the language) It’s you! You are amazing. I made this recipe for my men’s group (Church) and it was a hit. I owe all my success in baking to you. I wish I could send you a pic of the things I’ve made. You would be proud!
Thank you!
Trent
You are too kind Trent! Love that your men’s group enjoyed it and love that you are loving baking! 🙂
Silk brownies look delicious. Going to try them.
So doesent it matter that theres raw egg in the French silk recipe , are we allowed to eat it
You can eat whatever you want. 🙂
On your brownie French silk . For chocolate u don’t mentioned whether it is bittersweet, unsweetened or semisweet chocolate for 4 or of chocolate for silk pie
Portion of recipe
I am drooling just writing the recipe down!!
I am going to try some of these.i’m not working now I can try some new recipes. I usually just buy some brownies from the store spread them out, put instant chocolte pudding on top of them and then cool whip. I like the real stuff better.
I’m not really sure how people have made this successfully. The narrative calls for melted chocolate for the fudge brownies, but the actual recipe says cocoa, not chocolate to melt or cocoa powder so I followed the directions and it said to add cocoa to the flour so, then I assumed cocoa powder, but the brownie batter was very blonde. Since the narrative said to use melted chocolate in the brownies, but the recipe lists none, how much melted chocolate were we to use in the brownie part? My brownies are very blonde and I’m disappointed with the inconsistency from narrative to recipe.
I’m sorry, but it does not say that. Nowhere does it say to add melted chocolate to the brownies. The written recipe is very clear in what ingredients to use for what part. I’m confused as to how you are disappointed…
This is delicious! Only drawback is I put the cream on the French silk mixture both at room temp so the cream got mixed up and didn’t spread thin to cover the whole thing. I’d suggest using more cream or putting it in the fridge between steps. Still tasted great!
When you say spay dish with non stick or GOOP what’s GOOP?
It says cocoa and dark cocoa do I use both