Description
This Gluten Free Chocolate Angel Pie features a crisp and airy meringue shell filled with a rich, silky chocolate custard and topped with whipped cream. Perfectly balanced textures and flavors make it an elegant dessert suitable for special occasions or any chocolate lover’s craving. Dairy-free options are included to accommodate dietary preferences without compromising taste or structure.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Shell
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- â…› teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus extra for dusting
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Filling
- 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons water (or coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup half-and-half (or full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups heavy cream, chilled (or solid part of 2 cans coconut milk, refrigerated overnight)
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1â…“ cups heavy cream, chilled (or solid part of 1 can coconut milk, refrigerated overnight)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting, or chocolate curls for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare pie plate: Preheat the oven to 275°F. Thoroughly grease a 9-inch pie plate and dust it evenly with cornstarch using a pastry brush. Line the bottom with parchment paper before greasing to ensure easy removal of the meringue shell after baking.
- Mix sugar and cornstarch: In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and cornstarch to prevent grittiness in the meringue.
- Beat egg whites: Using a clean, grease-free bowl, beat room temperature egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until foamy. Increase speed until soft, billowy mounds form.
- Add sugar mixture: Gradually add the sugar-cornstarch mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, while continuously beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in vanilla extract gently.
- Shape meringue: Spread the meringue evenly into the prepared pie plate, building up higher edges with a slight depression in the center to hold the filling. Avoid overworking to retain airiness.
- Bake meringue: Bake on the lower-middle rack for 90 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 200°F and bake for an additional hour until the meringue is completely dry without browning. Some small cracks are normal.
- Cool crust: Turn off oven, crack door open, and let the crust cool in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in a cool dry place.
- Melt chocolate: Place finely chopped chocolate and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until mostly melted, leaving a few unmelted pieces. Let residual heat finish melting.
- Prepare custard base: Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until pale yellow and slightly thickened. Heat half-and-half until barely simmering. Slowly drizzle hot half-and-half into egg mixture while whisking to temper. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat while stirring until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 1-2 minutes.
- Combine chocolate and custard: Pour hot custard into melted chocolate and stir until fully combined and glossy. Cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whip cold cream until soft peaks form and gently whisk one-third into the chocolate mixture. Carefully fold in remaining whipped cream until no streaks remain.
- Chill filling: Cover and refrigerate chocolate filling for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours until firm.
- Fill meringue shell: Let chocolate filling sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to soften slightly. Spoon it into the cooled meringue shell and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Whip topping cream: In a chilled bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. For extra stability, dissolve ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin in 1 tablespoon water, microwave 5 seconds, cool slightly, then incorporate while whipping.
- Top pie: Spread or pipe whipped cream over the chocolate filling, covering completely or leaving a visible chocolate border. Dust with cocoa powder or garnish with chocolate curls.
- Chill assembled pie: Refrigerate pie for at least 1 hour (up to 4 hours) before serving. For clean slices, dip knife in hot water and wipe dry between cuts.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for maximum volume in meringue.
- Use cornstarch dusting to prevent the meringue from sticking to the pie plate.
- Do not overbeat meringue to avoid deflating air bubbles.
- Small cracks in the meringue shell are normal and will be concealed by the filling.
- Chopping chocolate finely helps melting evenly for a smooth custard.
- Tempering eggs properly prevents curdling in the custard.
- Dairy-free substitutions using coconut milk and coconut cream yield excellent results.
- Gelatin in whipped cream topping adds stability, especially on warm days.
- Do not refrigerate the meringue shell alone; keep in a cool dry place to maintain crispness.
- For best slicing, warm the knife with hot water between cuts.
