Joyce Bulifant's Key Lime Pie

Makes one 9” pie.

Ingredients:

Crust:

1-1/2 Cups Dark Brown Sugar

1 Cup Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Tablespoons Whole Milk

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

2 Pinches Salt

Lime Filling:

14-oz Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 Egg Yolks

½ Cup Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice

Meringue:

8 Large Egg Whites

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

½ Teaspoon Cream of Tartar

2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

Directions:

Crust:

Mix butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high speed until creamy.

·       Add vanilla extract and mix well.

·       Mix the butter and sugar mixture with the flour.

·       Mix the baking powder and salt into the dough. It will be a delicate dough.

·       Mix the milk into the dough slowly until it comes together. Then beat the dough until it becomes smooth.

·       Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, and make a log that is approximately 1-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches in size.

·       Wrap the dough log firmly in the plastic.

·       Place the dough log in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or all day.

·       Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

·       Line a cookie sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

·       Cut the dough log into ½-inch thick pieces.

·       Place cut pieces on the cookie sheet, leaving space around each since they will expand as they bake.

·       Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

·       Allow the cookies to sit on the cookie sheet for about 6 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

·       Crush cookies until fine by hand or with your food processor.

·       Pour cookie mixture into a medium bowl and add ½ cup melted butter.

·       Stir the mixture until fully combined and press into the bottom and sides of a 9” pie pan.

·       Set aside.

Lime Filling:

·       In a large bowl, combine milk, egg yolks, and lime juice until smooth.

·       Pour filling into the pie shell.

Meringue:

·       Beat the egg whites and add vanilla.

·       Beat until frothy.

·       Beat in sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sugar is incorporated and mixture forms soft peaks.

·       Mix cream of tartar and cornstarch.

·       Beat the cream of tartar and cornstarch mixture into the egg mixture.

·       Using a rubber spatula, immediately distribute meringue evenly around the edge, then the center of the pie to keep it from sinking into the filling. Make sure meringue attaches to pie crust to prevent shrinking. Use a spoon to create peaks all over the meringue.

·       Put pie in a 325-degree oven and bake on the lowest rack until meringue is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Serve.