Stefin’s Key Lime Pie with Mile-High Meringue

My favorite Key Lime pie in the whole world comes from The Blond Giraffe in the Florida Keys. Since I live all the way across the country and find the overnight shipping charges a bit steep, I created my own version of their spectacular treat.

Key Limes can be a hassle to juice, but don’t substitute “regular” or Persian limes — they are much milder. Some grocery or specialty stores sell bottled Key Lime juice and it’s a worthwhile convenience.

You’ll notice this Key Lime pie isn’t green. Natural Key Lime juice produces a soft yellow filling. If you’d like, add a few drops of green liquid food coloring to your filling before baking.

Finally, the Sweet Sugar Dough recipe makes enough for two tarts. You’ll need one in reserve, because this pie will be gone in a flash!

Ingredients

  • Sweet Sugar Dough
  • 1/2 Cup Key Lime juice
  • 14 Ounces Sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 Cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Make Sweet Sugar Dough. Pat into 10″ tart pan with removable bottom, trimming excess dough. Spray a large piece of tinfoil with cooking spray and place (sprayed side down) over dough. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Partially blind bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until just set and beginning to turn golden. Remove foil and weights and prick with a fork. Bake for an additional 8 minutes until golden. Drop oven temp to 350 degrees. Cool tart shell.
  2. Make filling. Beat 4 egg yolks until light. Add Key Lime juice and sweetened condensed milk. Beat until combined. Scrape into cooled tart shell and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until top is just set and creamy. Cool completely.
  3. Make meringue. Preheat broiler. Beat 7 egg whites (4 reserved from filling; 3 reserved from Sweet Sugar Dough) until soft peaks form. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Using decorative swirls, mound meringue onto cooled tart. Broil on high for 2 minutes, watching carefully. After 2 minutes, turn off broiler and preheat oven to 350 — leaving tart in oven. Watch carefully and turn the tart as necessary for even browning. Bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  4. Pie is best served well chilled.