Chris Taylor & Paul Arguin's Bellini Champagne Pie Recipe on Food52 (2024)

The Bellini, our favorite brunch co*cktail, was our inspiration for this pie. Echoing the flavors of this fruity and fizzy standard of midday drinking, the layers of peach chiffon and Champagne mousse are a perfect treat to cap any meal of the day! The recipe uses just over 1 cup of Champagne, and what you do with the rest is none of our business.

Reprinted from The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert. Copyright © 2019 by Chris Taylor and Paul Arguin. Photograph copyright © 2019 by Andrew Thomas Lee. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. —Food52

Directions

1. Peach Chiffon
2. In a medium bowl, whip the cream on medium-high speed until it holds stiff peaks, 1 to 3 minutes. Put the whipped cream in the refrigerator while preparing the rest of the filling.
3. In a food processor, puree the sliced peaches until they are smooth. You will need 1⅓ cups of puree.
4. In a large microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over ½ cup of the peach puree. Set aside to soften for 5 minutes. Microwave the gelatin mixture on high (100%) power for about 30 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds, until the mixture is just bubbling at the edges and the gelatin seems dissolved (it’s hard to tell because the puree is not a clear liquid, but if the puree has begun to bubble at the edges, it should be fine). Add the remaining peach puree to the gelatin mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the salt, lemon juice, and peach schnapps; set aside until the mixture is no longer warm, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from setting prematurely.
5. While the peach mixture is cooling, bring approximately 1 inch of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. In a large heat-safe bowl (preferably the metal bowl of an electric stand mixer), whisk together the egg whites and sugar. Heat the egg-white mixture over the simmering water until the mixture is quite hot (160°F on an instant-read thermometer) and the sugar is completely dissolved.
6. Beat the hot egg-white mixture on medium-high speed (and with the whisk attachment if using a stand mixer) until it holds soft peaks and has completely cooled (the outside of the bowl should not feel warm), 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the power of your mixer and the temperature of your kitchen.
7. Fold the whipped egg-white mixture into the peach mixture until it is mostly incorporated. Fold in the cold whipped cream until the mixture is uniform and no white streaks of egg white or whipped cream remain. Transfer the mixture to the cooled pie crust and refrigerate until the mixture is cold and firm, at least 4 hours (or up to overnight).

1. Champagne Mousse
2. Place 2 tablespoons/28 grams of the Champagne in a small microwave-safe bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and remaining 1 cup/227 grams of the Champagne in a medium saucepan. Over medium-low heat, cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer and thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes (the mixture will become foamy). Remove from the heat and continue whisking for about 2 minutes, until it cools slightly.
4. Microwave the gelatin mixture at high (100%) power, stirring every 5 seconds until it just begins to bubble at the edges and the gelatin is dissolved, about 15 seconds. Whisk the gelatin into the hot Champagne-egg mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, and then set the mixture aside to cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent it from setting.
5. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium-high to whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks, 1 to 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and drizzle in the cooled Champagne mixture, whipping on low until no streaks remain. Spread the Champagne mousse over the peach chiffon filling and refrigerate the pie until it is cold and set, about 4 hours (or up to overnight), before serving. (Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.) The pie is best eaten within 2 days.