Key Lime Pie

Serves	8
Inspiration	Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

Ingredients

1 9 inch baked pastry shell (make one half of Crisco Pastry Recipe)
1 Pkg white navy beans or other kind of bean or pie weights or (weight used to cook the pastry)
3 Large eggs
1 tin Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lime juice (10 - 12 Key limes or 5 - 6 grocery store fresh limes)
3 Tbsp water

Topping

1 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract

Alternate Topping

3 egg whites
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 Tsp cream of tartar

Note

Uncooked White Navy Beans or any other large uncooked bean make a good weight to use when Baking Blind.

You can purchase ceramic pie weights, but the beans are a nice alternative. They can be used and then stored for the next occasion. They are reasonable to purchase and can be tossed if you do not need them any more.

Directions

Baked Pastry Shell - Baking Blind

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F. Prepare one half recipe of Crisco Pastry. Roll out the pastry and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Crimp the edges in a scallop fashion. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork.

According to Wikipedia, Baking Blind is the process of baking a pie crust or other pastry without the filling. Blind baking a pie crust is necessary when it will be filled with an unbaked filling (such as with pudding or cream pies) or when the filling has a shorter bake time than the crust. Blind baking a pie crust also helps prevent the pie crust from becoming soggy from its filling.

To bake blind, cut a piece of parchment paper a little larger than pie plate. Pour in the pie weights or the navy beans. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and beans (keep the beans to use as pie weights for another day) and then continue to bake for 6 more minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Filling

Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Set the whites aside to use in another dish or if making a meringue topping.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with a wire whisk or fork. Gradually whisk or stir in the sweetened condensed milk.

Cut each lime in half and using a fork in the centre squeeze out the juice. Use enough limes to make 1/2 cup of lime juice

Add the lime juice and water gradually to the egg/condensed milk mixture. The mixture will thicken. Spoon the thickened filling into the Baked Pastry Shell. Bake in a 325 deg F oven for 15 minutes, if using the Meringue topping and 25 minutes if using the Whipped Cream Topping
Whipped Cream Topping

Cool the cooked pie for 1 hour. Cover and chill the pie for 2 - 3 hours.

A nice prep for whipping cream is to chill the beaters and a medium sized bowl in the fridge or freezer for about 20 minutes. This helps the cream whip faster. Pour the whipping cream into the bowl and with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the whipping cream until soft peaks start to form. Then add the vanilla and sugar and continue to beat until the peaks are just standing on their own. (more stiff than soft).

Spread the Whipped Cream over the chilled pie.
Meringue Topping

Prepare the Meringue for the pie.

Beat egg whites until frothy in a large bowl. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat until whites form soft peaks. Add sugar gradually, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. (Hint: Use a glass or metal bowl to beat the eggs; plastic bowls can have a greasy film which can prevent foaming)

Take the pie out of the oven after 15 minutes and place the meringue in glops on the pie, swirling it to make attractive peaks. Spread meringue right to the edge of the pile to seal the crust all around. (This will prevent the meringue from shrinking while baking.)

Bake in a 350 deg F oven for about 8 - 12 minutes until meringue is set and the tips are lightly browned. Let pie cool at room temperature for about an hour. Then chill for 3 - 4 hours before serving.