TWD: Florida Pie….sort of
May 13, 2008 at 12:44 pm | In May 2008, Tuesdays with Dorie | 28 CommentsTags: baking, pie, Tuesdays with Dorie
“You put the lime in the coconut, you drank ‘em both up, you put the lime…” Did everyone else sing this all week? Just me. Alrighty, then.
This week’s recipe was Florida Pie chosen by Dianne of Dianne’s Dishes. It is basically a key lime pie with a coconut cream layer and a coconut meringue. Yes, I took a bite the night before.
My first instinct was to skip this week. I luurve key lime pie…coconut not so much. Mostly, we were just insanely busy. I am entering my busy season at work, my kids were both ring bearers in a wedding, we had tickets to see Wicked (yeah, it just got here) and on and on. I was assigned to bring breakfast for Friday breakfast club this week. So that was my only real opportunity to do any baking. I strongly considered chucking the pie for the orange berry muffins, easy to make for breakfast and I missed it in the recipe rotation.
BUT…I got it in my head to make the pie and somehow adapt it for breakfast. My husband tells me, and he is absolutely correct, that I have tendency to be inflexible once I decide on something. I believe this is affectionately referred to as pigheaded. So I forged ahead. Meringue? Out of the question. I have actually never made it and this was not going to be my first attempt. Whipped cream instead? No time. Coconut cream? Nope. I thought about pineapple or banana cream but decided on lemon/lime. I just grated in a little zest. Since I didn’t really have an appropriate topping and wanted to get more servings I decided to convert the pie into bars.
I chickened out on the pineapple.
I stirred that cream for over 20 minutes, got impatient (not the week for this recipe clearly) and quit. Good thing too…my youngest assistant had been “helping” me wash and he had flooded the counter and drowned the coffee grinder. 15 more minutes and we may have needed a rowboat. I don’t know why I thought the cream would cover the increased surface space. Mental lapse I guess. I think I could have skipped this step (especially with the yolks and sweetened condensed milk…another dieters’ delight).
All the cream added was calories.
Four innocent limes gave their lives for these bars.
I did put some toasted coconut over half and that half was gone first. Guess I am in the minority on the coconut aversion. I am happy to report that it tasted great. I love key lime pie and was pleasantly surprised that this non key lime recipe did not disappoint.
Kitchen lesson #412: When a recipe contains words like “stirring almost constantly”… “reduced by half”…MERINGUE(!) and you are pressed for time this is not your recipe.
Next week: Madeleines (maybe…I don’t have a pan so we shall see). To see the “real” pie check out the other TWD blogs.
One of the reasons, I was so short on time this week.
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)
1/4 cup of sugarGetting Ready:Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.
Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.
To Finish the Pie with Meringue:
Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.
Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you’ve got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.
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they are so cute! I bet they are great helpers! Great idea to make bars! Looks delicious!
Comment by Heather — May 13, 2008 #
Your bars look delish! I think your two little men look even more delicious though!
Comment by Marie — May 13, 2008 #
Florida pie-inspired bars. Fab! Your little ringbears are so cute. Makes me all nostalgic for my wedding 9 months ago.
Clara @ I♥food4thought
Comment by CB — May 13, 2008 #
The bars look fabulous!
Comment by Caitlin — May 13, 2008 #
Yeah, I can’t see much use for the cream element unless it had the coconut in it, but the rest sounds like it was great.
Cute kiddos!
Comment by Cheryl — May 13, 2008 #
Fabulous! Your boys are so cute. Nina @ Love Sweet Love
Comment by NinaBeth — May 13, 2008 #
your bars came out great!
Comment by mimi — May 13, 2008 #
I laughed out loud at your story – but you are so creative, who would have thought to make them into bars? Not me! Way to go!
Comment by Megan — May 13, 2008 #
Great idea to make them into bars!
Comment by Melissa — May 13, 2008 #
Turning a pie into a bar! That is such an awesome idea, I might have to steal that from you
They came out looking great!
Comment by Stephanie — May 13, 2008 #
Bars were such a great idea!
Comment by lemontartlet — May 13, 2008 #
Great photo of your little ones!
Comment by Bumblebutton — May 13, 2008 #
look at those cute little guys all suited up! i thought about turning them into bars too, but with dorie’s instructions about keeping the pie in the freezer, i thought maybe the filling would be too soft or something. glad to hear it worked!
Comment by steph — May 13, 2008 #
lime bars for breakfast…LOVE it! great variation which i’m definitely going to try.
Comment by Linda — May 14, 2008 #
Your bars look great, and I love your post! I don’t know how you manage to blog, work, go to the theatre, take care of your kids…! You must never sleep, super lady
Comment by Baken — May 14, 2008 #
You idea was certainly creative! Your boys look adorable!
Comment by Gretchen Noelle — May 14, 2008 #
Great job & cute little ring bearers!
Comment by Annemarie — May 14, 2008 #
Very creative! I love the way you tweaked the recipe!
Comment by Susan at StickyGooeyCreamyChewy — May 14, 2008 #
i love the bar idea…and good thing to nix the merengue…hehee. your boys are so cute.
Comment by Mara — May 14, 2008 #
I am so glad I am not the only one with the occasional dessert with a suspiciously missing corner!
Comment by Carol Peterman — May 14, 2008 #
What an interesting shape, a good idea! You boys are very cute, mine try to get men already!
Ulrike from Küchenlatein
Comment by Ulrike aka ostwestwind — May 14, 2008 #
that’s a creative way of tweaking the recipe, great job!
Comment by Piggy — May 14, 2008 #
Bars?!? What a great idea. Looks good to me.
Comment by Sharon - Butcher, Baker...... — May 14, 2008 #
A recipe that says stirring almost constantly… not my recipe either! Haha
What a great idea! The bars look delicious
And hey! thanks for your comment on my blog
Comment by Isa — May 14, 2008 #
I like the bar idea. I’m sorry you had a busy week.
Comment by Dianne — May 14, 2008 #
I was singing the Lime in the Coconut song and even thought I would attach it to my post. Harry Nillson sang the song. Great looking pie!
Comment by Lynne — May 15, 2008 #
Aw these are so gorgeous! (Your little boys!) Great idea for bars! Hx
Comment by Helen — May 16, 2008 #
your kids are adorable!
glad you adapted the recipe this week instead of opting out! key lime bars sound great
Comment by Jaime — May 17, 2008 #