KEY LIME PIE aka FLORIDA PIE ~ Tuesdays With Dorie

                                                           
Tuesdays With Dorie
Ahhh, Tuesdays...Another delicious dessert from Tuesdays With Dorie. This recipe was chosen by Dianne of Dianne's Dishes. In case you're late to the party, this group of over 180 bakers, are working their way through Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, "Baking: From My Home To Yours". It's a great group of like-minded dessert freaks that absolutely LOVE their desserts! And now you know why I'm here. Because I can't pass up a chance for a good piece of pie!
                                                                         

Key Lime Pie or Florida Pie?
Dorie says Florida Pie, I say Key Lime Pie. It doesn't really matter as long as you get the chance to make one! It was easy enough the way I made it. You see, I have a teeny, tiny oven and the piled-high meringue just wouldn't fit! I would have been scraping the hot sticky meringue off the top of my oven for days. So, I opted to decorate mine with whipped cream instead. Which, by the way, is a much easier and less sweet version. Dorie's meringue calls for additional coconut and with all the coconut already in the pie, I didn't fancy more in my meringue. Plus, my pie doesn't have to be frozen and then baked again. Forget the blowtorch and the broiler! If I were back at the bakery, I wouldn't hesitate to make a mile-high meringue pie. But things are what they are here on the Minnow...I mean Nirvana!
                                                                              
                                                                           
Meringue or Whipped Cream?
So, exactly what DID I change from Dorie's original pie? I made my own graham cracker crust. Sure, buying a store-bought one is a heck of a lot easier, but making a homemade crust isn't rocket science and goes together real fast. It does make a difference when you bite into that luscious pie. Besides, after going through all this work, why would you skimp on a bland cardboard crust?
I added 1/2 tsp grated lime zest to the batter and that made our tongues wake up and say WOWSA!
I whipped up a bowl of sweetened whipped cream and decorated the pie with lime slices and dried mango.
A puddle of lightly sweetened red raspberry coulis decorated my plates and made the pie zing!
                                                                           

Note: Obviously, the extra 1/2 cup of coconut, egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar went unused. So, if you go with my recipe, please take this into account. However, you will need heavy cream, confectioners sugar and any garnishes you wish to use.
                                                                         

I would definitely make this pie again, exactly like I made it this time. Wouldn't change a thing!
I gave you both recipes, so you can choose. Why not make both and do a pie tasting!

FLORIDA PIE from "Baking: From My Home To Yours"
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust (My Notes: I made my own crust, recipe follows)
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/2 tsp lime zest (optional, this is my addition)
1/4 cup of sugar
                                                                              

Directions for Dorie's Florida Pie:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly.  Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened.  Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice.  When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended.  Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.

Bake the pie for 12 minutes.  Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.
                                                                                       

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:
Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch.  Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks.  Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.

Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown.  (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.)  Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.
                                                                                 

Directions for MY Key Lime Pie:
Graham Cracker Crust (also from Dorie's book, page 235. Adapted by me)
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Directions for Graham Cracker Crust:
Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Butter or spray a 9-inch pie pan.
Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (Dorie does this with her fingers. I use a spoon!) Turn the ingredients into the pie pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs over the bottom of the pan and all the way to the top of the pie pan.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
                                                                                          

Directions for Key Lime Pie:
Make and bake graham cracker crust as instructed, above.
Follow through Dorie's directions for her pie above and bake the pie. DO NOT FREEZE.
Let cool completely and refrigerate 2-4 hours.
Make whipped cream (recipe follows) and decorate pie.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla, optional
Using a mixer on high speed, whip cream until just about stiff.
Add confectioners sugar and vanilla and finish beating until stiff.
                                                                                  

Comments

[Caitlin]

Mmm... I love dried mango! Your pie looks perfect, and I love all the tweaks you made!

[Bridget]

I made some of the same changes - making my own crust and adding zest. I did make the meringue though (but I would have rather had whipped cream)! I love the twists of lime, what a great garnish.

[Jayne]

Ah - I thought about adding zest to the filling, but didn't. I knew I should have! Next time. And your pie looks lovely!

[Mara]

Love the way you topped it...so fun with the bright spring color!!! I also used whipped cream as a topping, it's so pretty.

[Liliana]

Your key lime pie looks absolutely DIVINE! What a great job you did. I see you've put your new Cuisinart mixer to work.

Beautiful pictures - you must upload some to TasteSpotting!

[Heather]

love your pie! It looks do delicious! Great job!

[Christine]

Your pie is bright and colorful! Looks delicious!

[Ulrike]

Oh what a great looking pie! So nicely decorated, I could bite into the screen!

Ulrike from Küchenlatein

[Hygeian Stew]

I've never heard of putting zest in crust, what a great idea!

[mimi]

well, it isn't a "real" key lime pie, but yours came out looking beautiful! i love the mango and twisted lemon slices on top.

[CB]

I am in love with all the pops of color in your pie - mango and lime. Yum! Pie-tastic job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

[Susan]

Oh My God. You made this on a BOAT? And I have a whole kitchen? You are amazing, and the pics of your torte from last week have inspired me to make that for next weeks "do whatcha want" challenge...so thanks!

[steph (whisk-spoon)]

yeah, i have a hard time believing that dorie uses store bought crust--i mean, why would you? i could make a crumb crust in my sleep! yours pie is beautious!

[Natalie]

Mmmmm dried mango - so pretty and tasty!

[Carol]

You really hit home with today's recipe! I think I can almost taste that luscious pie! Lemon or Lime pie - they're both my favorites. It looks incredibly tempting and I will have to try it. I've never even seen dried mango before, so I'm going to have to look around for that item. It looks absolutely delicious! TFS

[Shari]

I'll have to add zest to my filling next time. Great idea.

[katrina]

Great pictures!
I'm glad you got to use your new hand mixer!

[Dianne]

Your pie looks simply stunning!

[Julius]

WOW!

I am astounded by the sheer beauty of your work!

Julius
from Occasional Baker

[mari]

You've done a beautiful job! Your pie looks so festive and scrumptious!

[Melissa]

Beautiful beautiful beautiful!

[Matt]

That IS a sexy little mixer! And a fine looking pie too. :P

[Jaime]

wow, love the garnish! great job!

[Lori A.]

Your pictures are always so amazing. Even though this doesn't sound like something I would particularly like, your pictures make it look so yummy! I bet I would like it.

[Danielle]

Donna--AMAZING pictures, and ummmm amazing pie!!!!! This is beautiful!! I had such problems with my pie...first off I've never made meringue before and it did NOT turn out well (watery) and my coconut cream didn't hold the lime filling...the lime filling fell through...it wasn't a huge success at all. The flavors were nice (I used Nilla Waffers to make my crust) but the consistency was NOT great at all. I will be trying YOUR key lime pie shortly!! :D