Mile High Raspberry Pie

The ‘mile high’ in the name is no exaggeration. This frozen raspberry pie’s filling triples in volume during a 15-minute beat with an electric mixer, expanding from a small bowl of fruit into a towering pink cloud that rises high above the pie shell rim. The trick comes from the long, sustained beat of raspberries, sugar, egg whites, lemon juice, and salt all together in one bowl.

The technique looks suspicious on paper. Most chiffon pies whip the egg whites separately and fold them in. This recipe goes for it all at once, relying on the lemon juice and sugar to stabilize the whites against the moisture from the berries. Fifteen minutes is the magic number; less and the filling doesn’t fully expand, more and it starts to break down.

The almond shortbread crust is the second smart move. Pressed into the pan, chilled, then briefly baked, it stays crisp under the moist filling and lends a faint nuttiness that plays beautifully with raspberry.

Almond extract folded into the whipped cream at the end deepens the flavor connection between the crust and the filling. Half a teaspoon is enough; more and the almond starts to taste artificial.

Pro Tips

• Use a stand mixer if you have one. Fifteen minutes of continuous high-speed beating is hard on a hand mixer’s motor and tiring on the wrists.
• Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature before beating. Cold whites don’t whip to full volume.
• Use frozen raspberries, fully thawed but still slightly chilled. Fresh raspberries break down too quickly and lose their structure during the long beat.
• Mound the filling tall in the shell. The ‘mile high’ effect depends on visual height, so don’t spread it flat.

Variations

• Substitute frozen strawberries or blackberries for raspberries for different berry profiles.
• Add 2 tablespoons of Chambord or framboise to the filling for an adult version.
• Drizzle with chocolate sauce just before serving for a chocolate-raspberry contrast.