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Mocha Mousse Pie with Toasted Milk Meringue

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword pie
Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Servings 8
Author Christine Ma

Ingredients

Pie crust

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (185 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold butter (113 grams)
  • 3-4 tablespoons ice water
  • egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

Mocha mousse filling

  • 1 ½ cups milk divided (375 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons gelatin powder (6 grams)
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder (20 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder (9 grams)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)

Toasted milk meringue

  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dry milk powder (26 grams)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • ½ cup water (125 ml)
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

  • Make the pie dough. Combine the flour with salt and butter, cutting the butter into the flour with a pastry blender or your hands. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Slowly add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing just until combined. Shape the dough into a round disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Lightly dust a work counter with flour. Roll out the pie dough until it's about ¼ inch thick. Drape the dough onto the pie pan, pressing the dough into the pan to create the crust. Crimp the edges and prick the bottom of the crust with a fork several times to prevent it from rising up when baking. Place parchment paper on top of the dough and fill the pie with pie weights. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the parchment paper and weights from the pie crust. Brush the crust with the egg wash and bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, make the mocha mousse filling. Measure ½ cup cold milk into a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Pour the remaining 1 cup milk into a medium saucepot. Add the cocoa powder, espresso, and salt, whisking until combined. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat until it starts to steam. Add the milk with the gelatin to the pot, whisking to combine. Heat for another minute or until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
  • Beat together the egg yolks with sugar and vanilla in a heat-safe bowl. Slowly add the warm milk mixture to the eggs, whisking constantly. Don't add the milk all at once or it can cook the eggs and make them scramble. Pour the filling back into the pot and simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature for 1 hour or until no longer warm but not fully set.
  • Whip 1 cup heavy cream until stiff peaks form. When the mocha filling is no longer warm, add ½ of the whipped cream, mixing gently to combine. Fold in the remaining whipped cream and pour the filling into the pie crust. Spread the filling in an even layer and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until set.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Make the toasted milk meringue. Spread the dry milk powder on the prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and pulse the powder in a spice grinder until finely ground. Set aside.
  • Combine 1 cup sugar with ½ cup water in a medium saucepot over high heat. Bring the sugar water mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and continue to simmer until it reaches 240 degrees F. Stir in the toasted milk powder.
  • Meanwhile, whip the 4 egg whites with cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the hot sugar mixture to the egg whites while the machine is on. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat the eggs until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Spoon the meringue on top of the pie. Create a design using the back of a spoon, then torch the meringue with a blowtorch. Slice the pie and serve.

Notes

The pie crust can be made and baked the day before. You can also finish the recipe up to step 8 and finish the pie with the meringue on the day you are serving it.