Chocolate Angel Pie
By Cristin WalshPublished on December 20, 2012
Time
3½ hours, plus 4 hours chilling and 30 minutes cooling
Yield
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
FILLING
9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, chopped fine5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine3 large egg yolks 1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup half-and-half 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, chilledMERINGUE CRUST
1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for pie plate½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar 3 large egg whites Pinch cream of tartar ½ teaspoon vanilla extractTOPPING
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, chilled2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar unsweetened cocoa powderBefore You Begin
Serve the assembled pie within 3 hours of chilling.
Instructions
- Microwave milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in large bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until combined, about 1 minute. Bring half-and-half to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, slowly add hot half-and-half to egg yolk mixture in 2 additions until incorporated. Return half-and-half mixture to now-empty saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened slightly, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir half-and-half mixture into melted chocolate until combined. Let cool slightly, about 8 minutes.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Gently whisk one-third of whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to assemble pie. (Filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance.)
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate and dust well with extra cornstarch, using pastry brush to distribute evenly. Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, 1 to 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar mixture and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla to meringue and whip until incorporated.
- Spread meringue into prepared pie plate, following contours of plate to cover bottom, sides, and edges. Bake for 1½ hours. Rotate pie plate, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees, and bake until completely dried out, about 1 hour longer. (Shell will rise above rim of pie plate; some cracking is OK.) Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Spoon cooled chocolate filling into cavity of pie shell, distributing evenly. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream and sugar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly over chocolate. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 1 hour. Dust with cocoa. Slice with sharp knife and serve.
for the filling
for the meringue crust
for the topping
Time
3½ hours, plus 4 hours chilling and 30 minutes coolingYield
Serves 8 to 10Ingredients
FILLING
9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, chopped fine
5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 large egg yolks
1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup half-and-half
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, chilled
MERINGUE CRUST
1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for pie plate
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
FILLING
9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, chopped fine
5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 large egg yolks
1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup half-and-half
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, chilled
MERINGUE CRUST
1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for pie plate
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
FILLING
9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, chopped fine
5 ounces (142 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3 large egg yolks
1 ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup half-and-half
1 ¼ cups heavy cream, chilled
MERINGUE CRUST
1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for pie plate
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) granulated sugar
3 large egg whites
Pinch cream of tartar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
unsweetened cocoa powder
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a pie with a balance of chocolate filling, crisp meringue, and fluffy whipped cream, we needed to boost the chocolate flavor. By making a cooked custard, we were able to load nearly a pound of chocolate into the filling, and using part milk and part bittersweet chocolate lent depth and complexity. True meringue takes time, and we found that 2½ hours in the oven was necessary for the lightest, crispest crust. To prevent the crust from sticking to the pan, we rely on a double dose of cornstarch—in the egg whites and as a coating for the pie plate. To finish, we go with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.
Before You Begin
Serve the assembled pie within 3 hours of chilling.
Instructions
- Microwave milk chocolate and bittersweet chocolate in large bowl at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt together in medium bowl until combined, about 1 minute. Bring half-and-half to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisking constantly, slowly add hot half-and-half to egg yolk mixture in 2 additions until incorporated. Return half-and-half mixture to now-empty saucepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened slightly, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir half-and-half mixture into melted chocolate until combined. Let cool slightly, about 8 minutes.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Gently whisk one-third of whipped cream into cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until ready to assemble pie. (Filling can be made up to 24 hours in advance.)
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate and dust well with extra cornstarch, using pastry brush to distribute evenly. Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, 1 to 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar mixture and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vanilla to meringue and whip until incorporated.
- Spread meringue into prepared pie plate, following contours of plate to cover bottom, sides, and edges. Bake for 1½ hours. Rotate pie plate, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees, and bake until completely dried out, about 1 hour longer. (Shell will rise above rim of pie plate; some cracking is OK.) Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Spoon cooled chocolate filling into cavity of pie shell, distributing evenly. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream and sugar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped cream evenly over chocolate. Refrigerate until filling is set, about 1 hour. Dust with cocoa. Slice with sharp knife and serve.
for the filling
for the meringue crust
for the topping
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