I made a Lemon Meringue Pie the other week and it came out so good that my husband wanted another one. I wanted to post something on the blog so I suggested it's sister a Key Lime Pie!
Key Lime Pie is an American Dessert from the Florida Keys. I didn't make mine with condensed milk (which is typical in this kind of pie) since I needed a dairy free pie. I topped mine with meringue whereas whipped cream is often put on top of Key Lime Pies.
Key Lime Pie is an American Dessert from the Florida Keys. I didn't make mine with condensed milk (which is typical in this kind of pie) since I needed a dairy free pie. I topped mine with meringue whereas whipped cream is often put on top of Key Lime Pies.
I didn't use real Key Limes as they didn't have those at Waitrose and as egg yolks turn the filling yellow I added some green food coloring (which apparently is frowned upon but I don't care! A little food coloring never hurt anyone). Traditional Key Lime Pie is yellow inside.
I was really happy with myself this time. I got my meringue to have a cool looking textured top. I think using the plastic bowl was the source of the problem. I used a glass bowl this time and room temperature eggs and it came out perfect.
I had a frozen key lime pie coated in chocolate from Blond Giraffe (I just saw on their web site that they've sadly gone out of business) when I went to Key West in 2007!
It was an interesting place and I have never been so hot in my life. It was so humid I felt like the air was so thick it was like I needed to swim through it!
Key Lime Pie
adapted from Southern Food
Ingredients
1 baked 9 inch pie crust (I used a graham cracker crust shell already made)
3 eggs at room temperature, separated
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbs cornstarch/cornflour
2 cups water
zest and juice of 4 limes
1 tbs butter
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
5 tbs sugar
green food coloring is optional
1. Preheat oven to 425 F/220 C. In a saucepan over medium heat mix the flour, cornflour, sugar, water and salt. Stir continuously until thickened.
2. Take a large spoonful of the mixture and mix in the bowl with the egg yolks. Pour that mixture back into the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir on low heat for 2 more minutes.
Loving my new pink knife!
3. Stir in the butter, lime zest and juice and food coloring if using. Let cool slightly and then pour into your pie case.
4. Make the meringue by whipping the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add in the cream of tartar and the 5 tablespoons of sugar gradually until mixture is stiff and glossy. Add the meringue on top of the filling once it has cooled and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until top is golden brown. Best served chilled.
