Key Lime Pie with Coconut Crumb Crust

Don't even think about serving a key lime for dessert if it is not authentic! This one has a sinful coconut crumb crust.

Servings: 8 to 10

Ingredients:

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup coconut, toasted lightly
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar

Filling
3 large eggs, separated, the whites at room temperature
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice
Salt
1/3 cup sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine the crumbs, coconut, butter, and the sugar. Press the mixture onto the bottom and side of a 10-inch pie plate coated with non-stick spray, and bake the shell in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes, or until it is browned lightly. Let the shell cool on a rack.

In a large bowl, beat the yolks with the condensed milk and stir in the lime juice, a little at a time, stirring to combine the filling well. Spoon the filling into the shell and chill the pie for 1 hour. In a medium bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, beating, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the filling and bake the pie in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is just golden. Chill the pie for 2 hours before serving.  It should look pale yellow when finished, not lime green. 

Note: Key lime juice is available bottled at specialty food shops or squeeze the juice from three fresh limes.

Gail Greco is the food editor of Carefree Cooking; a field editor for Romantic Homes magazine; and a contributor to many other publications.  She has authored more than 15 books on cooking, decorating, and home lifestyle.

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