I'd much rather have caravan in the hills, than a mansion in the slums... Key lime pie, weirdo style, because I can never just do as I'm told.

Key Lime Pie, weirdo style, because I can never just do as I'm told.
So, this pie is a little different.  It is a Key Lime Pie... sort of.   Except  I don't think I have ever seen a Key Lime in my life, and have certainly never been to Florida.  I decided yesterday to make this one, because it'a another that I have long been mystified by.  Turns out, it's probably one of the easiest custard pies to make, ever.

I did add a bizarre twist to the crust, though, because graham cracker crust, on its own, bores the hell out of me.  So I decided to do a mashup of a classic Pate Brisee, and graham.  It was... an interesting crust to work with, but bloody hell, it's tasty.

So, yeah, that was a Crowded House reference in the title.  I... do not have one of those today, hence being able to get the recipe post out before this thing has even been cut into.  And yeah... I had a tiny mishap, in which the little bastard jumped out of my hands, onto the stove, just after I had baked the crust, so some of it broke off.  That was how I got to taste it!

Ah well, klutz moments?  Snacks for the cook!

You will need:

Food processor
Stand mixer, or mixing bowl and a pair of hands, pastry blender, fork, or even a couple butter knives will do.
Metal whisk
Or well... you know?  This one? You really do just need a stand mixer for, unless you want to do something different for the topping.  You could also use electric beaters, but have a helper for the meringue part, so's ya don't go burning yourself.
9" Pie plate
Rolling pin
Flat surface for rolling
Sauce pan
Candy thermometer
Pastry brush
Food Scale  (I got mine for $11 on Amazon, and it's lasted me a couple years, so far.)



For the crust:

8 0Z flour
4 0Z very finely ground graham cracker crumbs
8 0Z butter
3-6 tablespoons, water

For the filling:
3 egg yolks
zest from 2 limes
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c lime juice
Use key limes if they are available to you.

For the meringue:

8 egg whites
400 G caster sugar
1/2 c water

Method:

Start by blending your graham crackers.  This should take about 6 full sized crackers.  Once they are well-blended, add your flour, and mix well.  Add your butter, and cut in until your mixture resembles small, sandy peas.  Add a couple of tablespoons of water, and watch it come together slowly.  You want it to still be sandy, but hold together.

Here's a bonus pic of my sweet puppy.  You're welcome

Turn your crust out, and form a ball, then a disc.  Place that in some cling film, and refrigerate; one hour.

Once you have refrigerated your crust, bring it back out, and let it sit for about 5 minutes.  Next, bash it with a rolling pin until it's somewhat flat, and begin rolling it out; once, per quarter turn, patching if you need to along the way, until you have about a 12" circle.  Once you do, gather it up on either side of the rolling pin, and place over the top of your pie dish.  You do not need to grease your dish first.

Next, place this back in your refrigerator for another 30 minutes, and preheat your oven to 350 f, or 180 c.

When the 30 minutes is up, take it out of the fridge and dock it with a fork. Do not cover this one with parchment and weights.  There is sugar in this mixture, and if you do that, it will stick, and make a mess.  Trust me on this one.  I learned the hard way.  Bake for 20 minutes, and check on it.  If it needs more time, try again in 5 minute intervals until it looks finished.  It will no longer have a weird, saturated greasy look when it is done.  If any bubbles have formed, they will settle back down, and shouldn't be a problem.  Pie crust will deflate and kind of shrink back as it cools.  That's all fine and dandy.

Now, let it sit for another 30 minutes, while you prepare your filling, which will take way less time than that, but oh well...

Start out by whipping your yolks and zest together; about 2-3 minutes, until pale, and thickened.

Next, add your sweetened condensed milk, and whip for an additional 3 minutes.

Last, add your lime juice, and mix until just combined.

Pour this into your baked pie shell, and bake for 15 minutes.  It really takes only that long.  I could not believe it!

Now, let that cool for about an hour.

Next you've got meringue!  Italian Meringue, which is my favourite, because it's really fun, and I think it's the smoothest, personally.

First, make sure your mixing bowl and whisk attachment are very clean, then add your egg whites to the bowl.

Add your sugar and water to a medium sauce pan, fitted with a candy thermometer.

Start your mixer, and head over to the stove.

You want your syrup to reach soft ball stage: 235 F, or 118 C.

If any crystals form on the sides of your pan, you can brush them off with a little water.  You want to do this, because if there are crystals on the side of the pan, it's going to make for some gritty assed meringue.

Once you have reached temperature, your egg whites should also be bountiful, bouncy, and beautiful.  With the mixer running at full speed, pour your syrup in, using a slow, thin, steady stream.  Avoid hitting the side of the bowl, or the whisk, as this may also cause crystallization.

Once it is all in, allow it to run for about 10-15 minutes, or until the meringue tastes very smooth, and the bubbles have gotten very fine.  There will be a nice sheen on it, as well.

Dollop this on top of your pie, and zest one more lime on top.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves 8.

Enjoy!

-H