Have A Glass of Key Lime Pie

Here on the West Coast, temperatures are heating up. In fact, the forecast says the mercury is going to pass 100 degrees in the next couple of days. In my world, hot weather like that translates into margarita time!

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe is Florida Pie, selected by Dianne's Dishes. Never really one for meringue, I knew I wanted to modify this week's challenge a bit. What better way than to imbibe a perfectly good citrus dessert with my favorite summer libation. So, I ditched the pie pan for a springform pan, made a crust of crushed graham crackers and salty pretzels, added some tequila and triple sec to the filling, and finished off the pie with a Key lime glaze.

The finished product tasted exactly how I would expect. A margarita in a pie. The alcohol flavor was there just to make its presence known, whispering the margarita taste without overpowering the tart Key lime flavor. No disrespect to Dorie's original Florida Pie recipe, but I am very pleased with my modified version and definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good margarita just as much as they do baked goods.

I only included directions for my modified version. For Dorie's original Florida Pie recipe, visit Dianne's Dishes. Also, don't forget to check out Florida Pies as Dorie intended.

Margarita Pie

adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Florida Pie

For the crust

1 cup finely crushed graham crackers

1 cup finely crushed pretzels

1/2 cup sugar

2/3 cup melted unsalted butter

For the pie

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

4 large egg yolks
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3 tablespoons good-quality tequila (I use Patrón Añejo)
2 teaspoons triple sec

1/2 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice, strained

For the lime glaze
3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
7 tablespoons freshly squeezed Key lime juice, strained
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the crushed graham crackers and pretzels, sugar and butter. Spread the mixture into the prepared springform. Pack the mixture with the bottom of a drinking glass or flat potato masher. Bake for 7 minutes. Let cool until room temperature.

Put the cream and 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 the tequila, the triple sec and half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the remaining juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the 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.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons of the juice; let stand until soft, about 10 minutes. In a small saucepan, bring sugar and 4 tablespoons juice to a boil. Combine remaining tablespoon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir until dissolved; whisk into boiling lime juice. Remove from heat. Stir in softened gelatin. Cool to lukewarm, and pour over pie.

More Dorie recipes I've made from Baking: From My Home to Yours

Peanut Butter Torte
Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake
Bill's Big Carrot Cake
Fresh Tangelo Cream Tart
Gooey Chocolate Cakes
Perfect Party Cake
Brioche Raisin Snails
Russian Grandmothers' Apple Pie-Cake
Snickery Squares
Pecan Sour Cream Biscuits
Almost-Fudge Gâteau