Ben is a huge fan of lemon meringue pie, my dad is a huge fan of key lime pie. So I was keen to try this recipe, a hybrid of both citrus-y pies with a pillowy mountain of meringue on top.
It was pretty simple, but I think next time I’d put a bit less meringue on top than the recipe calls for. While it looks dramatic, I don’t care as much for softer marshmallow-like meringue. I really love the cracking and crunching as you bit through it – so I would probably go a bit more traditional next time.
We’ve also selected my staff portrait from the photoshoot the other week. Without further ado, I present to you, the Pajama Baker!
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or if you’re in the UK, you can use plain digestive biscuits)
- 6 Tablespoons (86 grams) melted unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 egg yolks
- 2 (14-oz.) cans sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup lime juice (I think I used about 6 limes for this rather than buying lime juice)
- 2 Tablespoons lime zest
- 3 Tablespoons cold water
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. First make your pie crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) . Stir together ingredients; firmly press mixture on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool completely. (Be sure to leave your oven on, because you’ll need it at the same temperature at the next step.)
2. Next, make the filling: Whisk together egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest in the bowl of your mixer. Pour the mixture into your cooled crust. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour).
3. Finally, make the meringue: Whisk the cold water into your cornstarch in a medium-sized saucepan to make a sort of paste, then whisk in the boiling water. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 1 minute or until a thick gel forms. Remove from heat; cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed with your mixer, using whisk attachment, until foamy. Gradually add in your sugar and continue to whisk the egg whites until they start to look glossy and stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla and salt. Slowly beat in the cooled cornstarch mixture by pouring down the side of the bowl so that your eggs don’t lose their volume. Beat for 3 minutes to ensure that everything is incorporated.
5. Spread the meringue over the cooled pie, and bake at 375° (190°C) for 15 minutes or until the meringue turns golden brown. Transfer to wire rack, and cool completely before serving. If you’d like, you can cover and chill the pie for a few hours before serving.
pajama baker 