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This exquisite, out-of-the-ordinary Chocolate Velvet Pie with Meringue Crust is perfect for any time you have a chocolate craving! A meringue shell is topped with incredibly rich, dreamy chocolate whipped cream and chocolate shards.

This is a Chocolate Pie Recipe that melts in your mouth and is easy enough for a family dinner, but can be dressed up for a holiday dessert!

Chocolate Velvet Pie in pie plate.

Table of Contents hide
1 Why You Must Make
2 Ingredient Notes
3 Expert Tips
4 Frequently Asked Questions
5 You May Also Like:
6 Chocolate Velvet Pie Recipe

Why You Must Make

  • Minimal ingredients are needed to whip up this exquisite Chocolate Meringue Pie.
  • This luscious dessert starts with a slow-cooked meringue pie crust, then is topped with a fluffy mound of chocolate and coffee-infused whipped cream.
  • Dreamy is an understatement!

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – Table Salt, Sugar
  • Egg Whites – At room temperature. The bowl and beaters must be free of any egg yolk or grease, or they will not whip properly. Run the mixing bowl through the dishwasher if unsure.
  • Cream of Tartar (affiliate link) – Helps to stabilize the whipped egg whites.
  • Superfine Sugar (affiliate link) – Dominos is the brand I find in the baking aisle with the other sugars. It will dissolve more easily when making any type of meringue (cookies, pavlovas, and this pie crust).
  • Vanilla (affiliate link) – Use real vanilla extract, never artificially flavored.
  • Semisweet Chocolate (affiliate link) – Chopped; I use the Ghirardelli brand.
  • Brewed Coffee – I am not a coffee drinker, so I mix instant coffee in hot water.
  • Heavy Cream – 36-40% butterfat.
  • Grated chocolate, chocolate curls, or chocolate shards – To garnish, optional.
Chocolate Velvet Pie with Meringue Crust in white pie plate topped with chocolate shards and dusted with cocoa powder

Expert Tips

If you’ve ever eaten a homemade Meringue Cookie, you know the texture can be crisp with a soft, chewy middle. That’s what you’ll find with a meringue crust. Here are a few tips to make your crust successful when making this chocolate velvet pie.

  • PRO-Tip: Separate the egg whites from the yolks while the eggs are cold, since the yolk is less likely to break. Make sure to separate the eggs one at a time, with the white in one bowl and the yolk in another, then transfer the whites to a larger bowl.
  • The reason for the 3-bowl technique is that if one yolk breaks during the separating process, you won’t contaminate the other egg whites.
  • PRO-Tip: Make sure all bowls and beaters are scrupulously clean of all grease. A speck of grease, fat, or oil will inhibit the eggs from whipping properly. Egg yolks contain fat, so that is why you don’t want a yolk breaking into your whites.
  • If you’re wondering why cream of tartar is an ingredient, it’s because it helps stabilize the egg whites when they’re beaten. The cream of tartar doesn’t expire, so make sure to have some on hand.
  • PRO-Tip: Let the egg whites come to room temperature before beating. They will whip better than cold whites.
  • Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Soft peaks are when the whites go from foamy to opaque, but still flop over when you lift a big spoonful.
  • Continue beating, adding the sugar about a tablespoon at a time. Slow is the way to go, so the sugar can incorporate.
  • When stiff peaks form and the sugar is absorbed, the meringue is ready to be spread into a greased pie plate.
  • Stiff peaks will be stiff and glossy. Stiff meringue will hold its shape. There should not be any sugar granules in the mixture. Check by rubbing a bit of the meringue between your fingers. Note: I have used meringue with some sugar granules, and it’s no big deal in a pie crust.
  • PRO-Tip: I used my OXO Dusting Wand (affiliate link) to sprinkle a little cocoa powder over the finished pie to garnish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Didn’t My Meringue Reach Stiff Peaks?

If your meringue doesn’t stiffen properly, you may not have beaten on a high enough speed, or the bowl, beaters, or egg whites may have been contaminated with oil, grease, or egg yolk (any fat will inhibit the ability of the whites to whip properly). If you feel you’ve beaten them long enough at a high speed, you will need to start over.

What Are the Basic Steps for Making a Simple Meringue?

1. Start with room temperature egg whites and a very clean bowl and beaters.
2. Add cream of tartar.
3. Whip until foamy.
4. Add the sugar, a little at a time.
5. Beat to stiff, glossy peaks.

Why Do You Add Cream of Tartar to Meringue?

Adding an acid, such as cream of tartar or lemon juice, helps to stabilize the meringue by denaturing the proteins, thus delaying coagulation as it cooks.

You May Also Like:

I can always think up a reason to bake up a Chocolate Pie Recipe! Making Chocolate Shards (link to my post with details on how to make) to garnish is super simple and creates a show-stopper of a dessert. From sweet to savory, chocolate to citrus to berry, there are zillions of delicious pies from which to choose. Besides this Chocolate Velvet Pie, here are some more of my favorites:

Stay in touch through social media @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.

Chocolate Velvet Pie with Meringue Crust in white pie plate
The Recipe:

Chocolate Velvet Pie Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield 8

Chocolate Velvet Pie has a meringue shell topped with incredibly rich, dreamy chocolate whipped cream and chocolate shards.

4.8 Stars (48 Reviews)

Ingredients

Meringue Crust:

  • 3 egg whites, at room temperature
  • ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup superfine sugar (whiz in the food processor for about a minute)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Velvet Filling:

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • Grated chocolate, chocolate curls or chocolate shards to garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Grease a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350º.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks start to form. Very slowly, add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Mix in vanilla.
  4. Spread meringue in a pie plate, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake for one hour, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven to cool.
  5. When the meringue shell is cool, make the filling.
  6. Place chocolate and coffee in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30-seconds, stop and stir, then repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Mix in vanilla and let cool.
  7. Whip cream with sugar until stiff peaks form. Add the cooled chocolate to the cream, and gently fold in until all white streaks are gone.
  8. Spread topping over top of meringue shell. Garnish with chocolate if desired. Chill before serving.

Notes

As an option, you may dust the finished pie with powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 492Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 59mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 2gSugar: 52gProtein: 4g

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© Liz Berg
Cuisine: American, Asian-American / Category: Pies & Tarts