I want to introduce you to chocolate angel strata. You may have seen it popping up on my Instagram from time and time. It’s a chocolate and cinnamon meringue pie that’s been a staple of my family since childhood. I’m not even sure when it became a thing for us, or where the name came from. (“Chocolate” is obvious, and “strata” make sense because it’s layered, but the “angel” – not sure). I just know that whenever the extended family got together around birthdays, my Grandma Dekker would make it.
Over the years, as our families have grown, making chocolate angel strata has been a rite of passage from my parents to my siblings and our spouses. It’s the signature taste of any birthday for us, but I’ve found myself making it as a form of comfort from time to time. With the permission of my family, I wanted to present our recipe. Enjoy!
NOTE: I usually double everything and make two pies at once, because… well, you’ll see.
Ingredients
- 1 baked pie crust
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1/2 tsp vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon*
- 3/4 cup white sugar*
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup melted chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
*these ingredients will be split between steps
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Meringue
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
Beat egg whites, vinegar, salt, and cinnamon together until soft mounds form. Add 1/2 cup sugar gradually; beat until you have stiff glossy peaks. Spread in crust, bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes or until it turns lightly brown on top. Let cool completely.
Chocolate
1 cup chocolate chips
2 slightly beaten egg yolks
1/4 cup water
Melt chocolate chips in a bowl. Mix egg yolks and water together, then stir slowly into melted chips until smooth. Spread 3 tbs of the mixture onto cooled meringue. Save the rest.
White mousse
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Beat above until thick, spread half over chocolate layer.
Chocolate mousse
Take remaining chocolate and fold into remaining white mousse until completely mixed, then spread over white mousse layer.
Chill for 20-30 minutes, then serve!
Chocolate angel strata is delightfully rich. A little bit goes a long way. But I promise you the pie won’t last long.
And if your family is anything like mine, you might occasionally find the pie like this. And, honestly, I can’t blame my kids.
