Florida Pie - Tuesdays with Dorie

This is my first Tuesday with Dorie baking effort! Thanks Dianne's Dishes for selecting this lovely dessert. (Library co-workers loved it!)
A delicious key lime pie with coconut and meringue

Dorie Greenspan says she often uses a purchased graham cracker crust, but since I used the small pans, I made my own.

I purchased my key limes at the local ethnic market in Los Angeles- always get a great deal for produce! I'm not a big fan of shredded coconut. I feel it tastes somewhat like edible dental floss (sorry, coconut lovers!) I wanted to get the taste of coconut so I cooked the cream with the coconut but strained it out.

Here is a thin layer of strained coconut cream topped with the key lime filling.

I had huge difficulties with the meringue. First, it was 5 am...and I tried the first batch. I was using my thermometer and tried to get it to 160 degrees to keep things food safe. But it got too hot and it smelled like cooked egg white. Down the drain those went. Next, I tried again...but again that just didn't feel right. Finally, I got it right (by realizing my thermometer's battery was dying) and didn't overcook the batch. I used a blow torch to brown it. I wish it turned out better...but I had to get to work!

Here's the recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours book. You should definitely buy it or borrow it from your library as the photos are lovely, and the stories touching.

Florida Pie
1 9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, seperated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugar

Getting Ready:

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 of 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.

Check out other creations by Tuesdays with Dorie bakers!