Key Lime Meringue Pie

 

I love a good challenge and the opportunity to try something new. When I was brainstorming pie options for a school fundraiser the ideas were endless. From classic fruit pies, to custards, beautiful hand pies, or chocolate creations, every idea led me farther down the rabbit hole of pie obsession. I made a Classic Apple Pie using my Perfect Pie Crust recipe, but also wanted something different. Somehow, I kept coming back to Key Lime Meringue Pie, probably because we are in the dead of winter in Iowa, and something that reminded me of warm weather and summer was desirable.

 

I took to Pinterest and found many great recipes. To my surprise, they all looked delightfully easy and similar, so I meshed a few recipes together for a pie that was perfect to giveaway.

 

 

This Key Lime Meringue Pie could be topped with either whipped cream or meringue, but I choose meringue as it is more stable and the pie was going to be auctioned off at a fundraiser and transported a few times during the process. To add color and incredible flavor, I tried my hand at making curd.

 

 

 

 

Curd was another bucket list baking technique I have wanted to try for a few years now. And just like the pie, it was simple to make. Somewhere between a sauce and pudding, curd is a fruit topping that is both silky and creamy, with concentrated fruit flavor. The combination of raspberries, vanilla and lime provided a sweet-tart amazing flavor. Basically, it is so good I could drink it!

 

 

I hope you will give this Key Lime Meringue Pie and Raspberry Vanilla Curd a try. While they are beautiful enough for a special occasion, they are deceptively easy to make and can be enjoyed anytime.

 

 

Key Lime Meringue Pie

Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 4 hours (includes cooling)

Bake Time: 30-40 minutes

Total Time: 4 ½ hours

 

Ingredients:

Crust

1 ½ sleeves Graham Crackers, crushed (about 15 full sheets)

1/3 Cup Melted Butter

1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar

Combine all ingredients and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” pie plate.

Filling

2 Tbsp. Key Lime Zest

21 Ounces Sweetened Condensed Milk (1 ½ cans)

¾ Cup Fresh Squeezed Key Lime Juice

7 Egg Yolks

Meringue

7 Egg Whites at room temperature

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar (to stabilize the egg whites)

¾ Cup Granulated Sugar

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Combine lime zest, juice, egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well to incorporate.
2. Pour into the prepared pie plate and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set. The filling may still wobble slightly in the middle.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the meringue. Beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar at medium high speed with a mixer until soft peaks form.
4. Slowly add sugar, a few tablespoons at a time and beat on high speed until all the sugar is added. Beat until firm, glossy peaks form.
5. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Fill the bag with meringue and pipe across the cooled pie, making sure to completely cover the pie and seal the edges. This prevents the meringue from shrinking as it bakes. Continue mounding the meringue onto the pie until the desired height is reached. Meringue will shrink slightly as is cools.
6. Place the pie back in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the meringue is golden brown.
7. Set on a cooling rack until completely cooled, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

 

Store Key Lime Meringue Pie in the refrigerator up to a week. Serve with Raspberry Vanilla Curd for an indulgent dessert.

Note: If Key Limes cannot be found, regular limes may be used. Fresh squeezed lime juice and zest is recommended.

 

Raspberry Vanilla Curd

Makes 1 ½ Cups (can easily be doubled)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

 

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups Raspberries, fresh or frozen

3 Egg yolks

1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

4 Tbsp. Butter (1/2 stick)

Pinch of Salt

2 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice

1 Tbsp. Homemade Vanilla Extract

 

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan melt butter over medium low heat.
2. Add raspberries, egg yolks, sugar and salt and stir continuously until the berries have broken down and the sugar dissolves.
3. Continue to cook the mixture about 10 minutes over medium low heat, until it thickens. Stir occasionally.
4. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice and vanilla.
5. Pour the curd into a bowl fitted with a fine mesh sieve. Mash the berries to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard the seeds.
6. Pour the strained curd into a jar and allow it to come to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

 

Store Raspberry Vanilla in the refrigerator for several weeks. It is excellent over ice cream, waffles, cakes, or berries.

Note: Either lime or lemon juice may be used. I made a thinner curd to drizzle over the pie. For a thicker curd, reduce the citrus juice to 2 tsp. and the vanilla to 1 tsp.