Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie

I always love to read Dorie's introductory comments to her recipes.  For this one, she suggests that this pie is really good anytime, she especially enjoys it in the heat of summer.   We're not exactly in the heat of summer here in Rochester, NY, but I did have guests coming so I decided to bake something that needed to be eaten the day it was made.

One of the great things about baking through Dorie Greenspan's fabulous book, Baking from my Home to Yours, is that I have learned and practiced many new techniques.  In this recipe, for example, grated lime zest is added to sugar and then you use your fingers to mix it in.  It feels great to do this and the lovely aroma of lime is a real treat to the nose!

The next new technique is to mix the cream over simmering water which has the effect of heating the cream very evenly.  Whisking all the time is fun, although since I'm short, I usually stand on a little stool by the stove so my arm doesn't get so tired!

Dorie makes full use of her food processor and with this recipe, you strain the cream into the bowl of the food processor, tossing out those crunchy bits of lime zest.  You wait until the temperature decreases a bit, then turn on the processor and add butter, butter, and more butter, until you have the smoothest, creamiest line cream you can imagine.

One benefit of this dessert is that you can make the cream a day ahead--actually since it needs to chill, that's the best way to do it.  Dorie tells you to put it into a bowl and put a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the cream.  This is one of the techniques she uses over and over again but which was new to me.

A few hours before you want to serve the pie, you give the cream some good stirs and put it into the pie shell.  Then you beat up the meringue, put it under the broiler till brownish, and pull it out.  Dorie says you can use a torch to brown up the meringue and that's something I don't yet own but I imagine that it could be lots of fun!

Rolling out graham crackers for the crust

Zesting the limes

Getting ready to mix the lime zest with the sugar.  Couldn't take a picture of the process because my fingers were covered with sugar!

Straining the cream into the food processor.

The cream in the pie shell

Whipping up the meringue

The pie with the browned meringue

The dessert offerings for my guests!

I served this pie to guests along with Dorie's Bittersweet Brownies and Cocoa-Almond Meringues (I used ground macadamia nuts instead of almonds in these).  Everything was entirely consumed with oooos and ahhhhs and rave reviews.  As my friend Ruth was leaving, she pointed at the nearly empty serving plates and said, "That was the best lime pie I've ever eaten.  And those were the best meringues I've ever eaten!  And those were the best brownies I've ever eaten!"   Three winners indeed!  Thanks Dorie!