Key Lime Coconut Cream Pie Recipe 

You could buy a key lime pie in your local market or a bakery, but it will not be as good as if you make it yourself. The combination of flavours in this recipe is great – tartness of lime combines very nicely with the sweetness of coconut added into the recipe by replacing the traditional cream with coconut milk and by the coconut crust.

Pastry:

• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1-1/4 cups of flour
• pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup of unsalted butter – cubed
• 1 egg yolk

Filling:

• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup of lime juice

Topping:

• 6 egg whites
• 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of grated lime rind
• 1/3 cup of flaked coconut

Directions:

Pastry:

1. In food processor, pulse coconut and sugar until coconut is finely ground, then pulse in flour and salt
2. Pulse in butter until mixture resembles coarse oatmeal
3. Pulse in egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of chilled water until dough starts to come together
4. Transfer to work surface and knead very lightly until dough forms a ball
5. Flatten dough into disc and refrigerate for about 30 minutes
6. On lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into 14 inch circle
7. Place in 10-inch pie plate and flute edge
8. Prick bottom with a fork several times
9. Cover with aluminum foil or parchment paper and weigh down either pie weights or dried beans
10. Bake at 375F for about 25 minutes
11. Remove weights and bake until golden brown – 5-10 minutes longer

Filling:

1. In saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch
2. Gradually whisk in coconut milk
3. Cook, stirring over medium heat until thick and bubbly
4. Continue stirring and cooking for 2 more minutes
5. Remove from heat
6. In a bowl, beat egg yolks, whisk in about 1 cup of the coconut milk mixture
7. Whisk egg mixture back into saucepan
8. Bring to simmer and stir for about a minute
9. Whisk in lime juice
10. Scrape into pie shell

Topping:

1. Beat egg whiles until stiff but not dry
2. In small saucepan, bring sugar and 3 tablespoons of water to boil and boil until soft ball stage is reached – when soft balls form when small spoonful is dropped into cold water – this should take about 3 minutes
3. With electric mixer running, add sugar syrup in thin stream to egg whites and beat until egg whites are cooled
4. Beat in lime rind
5. Spread mixture over pie filling to edges
6. Sprinkle with coconut
7. Bake in 325F oven until topping is lightly browned – 25-30 minutes
8. Refrigerate until filling is set – 4-6 hours or overnight

Hope you have enjoyed this recipe – please send in your comments, suggestions and experiences, your input is always welcomed and very much appreciated