Angel Pie

Sent in by Audrey Holland of Horseheads, N.Y., this pie won us over for its rich-looking yet light-tasting filling and crust. Here’s what we discovered:

Test Kitchen Discoveries

• The crust for this unusual pie is made of meringue. When making the crust, be sure to beat the whites to soft peaks. If overbeaten, the whites will deflate and the crust will be squat and dense.
• For the filling, make sure the cream is well chilled so it will whip properly.
• Beat the cream, vanilla, and sugar to smooth-looking, stiff peaks. A chunky or grainy texture means the cream has been overbeaten. For the most stable whipped cream, start beating the cream slowly, and then increase the mixer’s speed once the cream is beginning to build volume.
• Use good-quality bittersweet chocolate. With so few ingredients, the quality of the chocolate shines through clearly.