Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie

So I wanted to make something on my next baking episode with Paul in mind.  I usually bake thinking about what the girls would like, or what I would like, and usually ignore Paul.  Poor husbands...always ignored.

While Paul is not the biggest sweets person, he does like pie, and citrus, so I decided to tackle Dorie Greenspan's Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie.  Let me tell you, the custard from this pie came out amazing!  Creamy and tangy, with just the right amount of sweetness.  Unfortunately, the rest of the pie I messed up on.  I under baked my crust so it just tasted of raw dough, and my meringue came out so "weepy" that it dripped all over my refrigerator requiring me to do a total fridge clean out!  The pie ended up in the trash.  Poor Paul!

The next time I make this pie, I think I will use the graham cracker crust and no meringue, just a whipped cream topping.  And, that custard is really just so delicious, I will for sure make that part again!

Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie from Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking: From My Home to Yours”

Makes 8 servings

For the Filling:

1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 3 limes
4 large eggs, preferably at room temp
3/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 6 limes)
A 1-inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon size pieces, at room temperature

1 9-inch Graham Cracker Crust, or basic pie crust (I used a pre-made crust purchased at Whole Foods.)

Meringue:

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ cup sugar

Have an instant-read thermometer, a strainer and a blender (first choice) or food processor at hand.

Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Put the sugar and zest into a heatproof bowl that can be set over the pan of simmering water. Off the heat, rub the sugar and zest between your fingertips for a few minutes, until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lime is strong.

Whisk in the eggs, then whisk in the juice, ginger and cornstarch.

Set the bowl over the pan and start stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. Cook the lime cream until it reaches 180 degrees F. As you whisk- you must whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling – you’ll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as it gets closer to 180 degrees F, it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. Don’t stop whisking or checking the temperature. Depending on how much heat you’re giving the cream, getting to temp can take as long as 10 minutes.

As soon as it reaches 180 degrees F, remove the cream from the heat and strain the cream into the container of the blender (or food processor); discard the rest.

Let it cool until it reaches 140 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Turn the blender to high speed (or turn on the processor) and add the butter a few pieces at a time. Scrape down the sides of the container as needed as you incorporate the butter. After all the butter is in, continue to blend the cream for another 3 minutes. If you find the machine is getting really hot, work in 1-minute intervals, giving the machine a little rest in between beats.

Pour the cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface and refrigerate the cream for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

To Finish the Pie with the Meringue: Preheat the broiler. Whisk the cream to loosen it and spoon it into the pie shell. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet.

Working in a clean dry mixer bowl with the clean whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip the egg whites at medium speed until opaque. With the mixer running , add the sugar in a slow stream and continue to beat until the whites are glossy and form firm peaks.

Spread the meringue over the lime filling, swirling it if you’d like. Make sure the meringue comes all the way to the edges of the crust, because it will shrink when it bakes.

Run the pie under the broiler until the meringue is golden and the tips are dark brown (Or, if you’ve got a blowtorch, use it to brown the meringue.) Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for about 15 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.