Key Lime Pie

By erda45

Williams Sonoma

Ingredients

• For the pastry:
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 -3 tablespoons ice water, or as needed
• For the lime curd:
• 5 eggs
• 7 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup key lime juice
• 12 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter cut into 1-inch pieces
• For the meringue:
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup sugar

Preparation

Step 1

To make the pastry:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar and pulse once to mix.

2. Add the butter and shorteneing and process in short pulses for form pea-sized crumbs, 20 to 25 seconds.

3. While pulsing, gradually add the water to form larger, moist crumbs.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and, with floured hands, shape into a flat disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or as long as overnight.

To make the lime curd:

1. In the top pan of a double boiler, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, milk and salt until blended.

2. Whisk in key lime juice. St the top pan over saucepan, but not touching, simmering water. Cook stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warmed through 1 -2 minutes.

3. Begin adding the butter a little at a time, stirring each addition until blended before adding more. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until a finger drawn across the back of the spatula leaves a path, 8 to 10 minutes more.

4. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Pass the curd through a chinois set over a nonreactive bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 425

Assemble the pie:

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish, fit the dough into the dish and trim the edges leaving 1/2-inch overflap. Flop under the excess dough and using your thumb decoratilvely flute the edges.

2. Line the bottom on the pie shell with parchment paper and fill the center with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and weights. Continue baking until the pastry is golden and flak, 10-12 minutes more. let cool 5 minutes.

3. Reduce oven heat to 350. Pour the curd into the pie shell and bake until the curd is set around the edges, but still a little losoe int he center, 30-35 minutes.

4. Meanwhile make the meringue. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high, add the sugar 1 tablespon at a time and beat until stiff glossy peaks forms, about 4 minutes more.

5. Spread the meringue over the hot filling to the edges of the pastry. Bake until top is golden, about 15 minutes, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.