Project Foodie - Pie Pie Pie: Fresh Lime Pie

Pie Pie Pie: Fresh Lime Pie

Photography by Tina Rupp

We all know the statement “easy as pie”, but for many, making a pie can be a daunting process. The cookbook “Pie Pie Pie: Easy Homemade Favorites”, by John Phillip Carroll, aims to remove that fear by providing clear, knowledgeable recipes that give you the “kind of advice you would get from having a patient, knowledgeable friend look over your shoulder”. Today’s recipe “Fresh Lime Pie” is not only a real treat but with John Phillip Carroll’s simple straightforward directions, making it really will be “easy as pie”…

Fresh Lime Pie

From “Pie Pie Pie” by John Phillip Carroll, Chronicle Books

A thin layer of lime custard under a billowy, sweet meringue makes this pie a real treat. The pronounced lime flavor gives it a refreshing quality and lends the illusion of lightness. Given the richness of the ingredients, however, it is anything but.

Crumb Crust made with gingersnaps or graham crackers, see recipe below
5 egg yolks
2 tsp cornstarch
2/3 cup fresh lime juice
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbl grated lime zest
1¼ cups sugar
1 Tbl unsalted butter
Meringue Topping, see recipe below

Form and bake the crumb crust as directed in the recipe.

Put the egg yolks and cornstarch in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk together briskly for about 1 minute. Add the lime juice, salt, zest, and sugar and whisk until the ingredients are blended and smooth.

Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly and taking care to reach all over the bottom of the pan as you whisk, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly and comes to a boil. As it cooks, it will increase somewhat in volume and the surface will look foamy; this will subside as the mixture boils. Remove from the heat, add the butter, and continue whisking off the heat for about 1 minute. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Pour the lime custard into the prepared crust, spreading it evenly.

Prepare the meringue as directed. To brown the meringue, preheat the broiler and position a rack so that the top of the pie will be about 4 inches from the heat; if you are in doubt, it is better to have it too far from the heat than too close. Put the pie under the broiler until the meringue has glistening, golden streaks and well-browned peaks, 1 or 2 minutes. Don’t take your eyes off it, because a few seconds can make a big difference.

Let the pie cool before serving.

Meringue Topping

From “Pie Pie Pie” by John Phillip Carroll, Chronicle Books

2/3 cup egg whites (about 5 eggs)
½ cup sugar
½ tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract

Combine the egg whites and sugar in a large stainless steel or glass bowl. (I don’t recommend using a plastic bowl; it can hold a greasy film that will keep the whites from beating to full volume.) Set the bottom of the bowl over a pan of simmering – not boiling – water. Stir gently for a minute or two, using a spoon or your finger, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture feels warm. Remove the bowl from the water and add the cream of tartar and salt. Beat at high speed until the whites stand in stiff peaks that droop just slightly when the beater is lifted. Depending on the power and speed of your mixer, this will take 1½ to 3 minutes, more or less, but appearance is a better indicator than time. Beat in the vanilla.

Gently spread the meringue over the pie filling (it’s okay if the pie filling is warm), completely covering the filling and making sure the meringue touches the edges of the crust all around. Use the back of a spoon to swirl lofty peaks and deep crevices in the meringue.

Crumb Crust

From “Pie Pie Pie” by John Phillip Carroll, Chronicle Books

1½ cups crumbs (if using chocolate water cookies, use 2 cups crumbs)
2 Tbl sugar
Pinch of salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

A crumb crust will taste better with homemade cookies, but you can make crumbs from just about any type of crisp, un-iced cookies, so long as they are fresh. A graham cracker or vanilla wafer crust is good with cream cheese fillings, a chocolate crumb crust or biscotti crust pairs well with chocolate and vanilla fillings, and a gingersnap crust will perk up just about anything, particularly pumpkin and chiffon fillings. Crumbs can be made most easily by pulverizing the cookies, broken into pieces, in a food processor or, alternately, by placing the coarsely crumbled cookies in a heavy-duty plastic bag and going over them repeatedly with a rolling pin, lifting and turning the bag every few rolls until you have fine, even crumbs. To make the requisite 1½ cups of crumbs, you will need approximately 14 whole graham crackers, 30 gingersnaps, 50 vanilla wafers, 35 chocolate wafers, or 12 biscotti. Briefly baking a crumb crust enhances its flavor and keeps it crisper after filling, and is worth the little time it takes. Mix all ingredients until has a fine coarse meal texture, press into 9-inch pie pan as thin even layer. Can be briefly baked (8-10 minutes at 350) if desired.

About Pie Pie Pie: Easy Homemade Favorites

Nothing says home sweet home like the aroma of a freshly baked pie. And with the voice of an old friend, author John Phillip Carroll teaches foolproof methods for making the delicious tried-and-true favorites that top every pie lover's list, plus some exciting new flavor sensations. The buttery golden streusel on the Apricot Crumble Pie will give Grandma's a run for her money. For a new twist on an old classic, drop a fork in a chilled slice of Butterscotch Cream Quince Pie with its spicy gingersnap crust. Fudge Brownie Pie takes the cake as a hip new treat for a kid's bithday party. Recipes for seven different types of crust ('cause one just isn’t enough) plus simple toppings like meringue and chocolate fudge sauce ensure that each pie is perfect, from bottom to top. Apple or Key Lime, Caramel Custard or Mile-High Strawberry—they're all as easy as Pie Pie Pie.