Layered Brown Sugar Pavlova with Sour Cream Whipped Cream, Meyer Lemon Zabaglione, + Macerated Berries

Layered Brown Sugar Pavlova with Sour Cream Whipped Cream, Meyer
Lemon Zabaglione, + Macerated Berries

As a food blogger, I get asked a'shit'ton of questions. Most of those questions I am perfectly happy to answer... I mean, that's why I am here, right?! Well, more so than questions, I get asked for recipe requests from family + friends. Although I want to please them right away, my Willy-Wonka-inspired-brain has about 100,000 recipes that I want to try first. So most of the time, they get put on the back burner until I am truly motivated to make whatever their little heart desires. Birthdays are a good time to make up for lost time, but in this case, I did it by creating my mother's ultimate favorite dessert, Pavlova. If you haven't had a Pavlova, you must... especially if you love meringue, which my mom is mildly extremely obsessed with. What is so wonderful about meringue is its' balance of textures. One moment is crispy + crumbly and yet somehow dissipates into your mouth like thin air. It's unbelievable. Yet when all that outer texture is gone (and the pavlova has to be cooked perfectly), but the inside remains soft, chewy, & almost-marshamallowy-like. It is fabulous. Every texture note is hit... spot-on. I especially adored this recipe because it included brown sugar, which is my favorite sugar, simply because of its molasses-like flavor and the moistness that it adds to any recipe. The brown sugar isn't a stand-out flavor, but you can certainly tell by the picture that it is most definitely an ingredient. The other components could easily be switched out... but there is something so lovely about fresh summer berries that have been macerated until their sweet juices seep out and create a sugary syrup. One little secret ingredient for the berries... balsamic vinegar. Just trust me on this one-- it will really accentuates + deepens the sweetness of the fruit. And what pairs better with sugary-berry-goodness? Well, personally, I love to pair it with some zing, some pop, a little pucker... and that's where the Meyer Lemon Zabaglione comes in. If you haven't made it before, don't fret, it ain't very hard to make. Think of a creamy lemon curd... with the added step of heavy, rigorous whisking. If you can't find Meyer Lemons, that's fine too, just sub in the classic. I just prefer to use the Meyer variety because it's toned-down acidity. In order tone down the lemony flavor + syrupy berries, the Sour Cream Whipped Cream is the ultimate cure. The tanginess of the sour cream and fluffy whipped cream smooth out all the flavors, creating the most-melt-in-your-mouth-groan-until-you-fall-asleep-moment. Yep, it's that good. This dessert has it all-- the texture, the balance of flavors, the gourmet components, and the refreshing taste of summer that is just peaking around the corner. To say the least, my mom was thrilled when I surprised her with this layered pavlova cake for Mother's Day. But hey, it would be great for any party really... especially a cutesy-tootsy brunch with pals + mimosas. I really urge y'all to give this dessert a try because it exceeded our expectations in every way possible!! Enjoy :)

the beginnings of mother's day brunch

whippin' up some brown sugar meringue... ain't it purdy

And the layering begins :)

so many macerated summer berries + their juices

aren't they gorg?

And look at that luscious Meyer Lemon Zabaglione + Sour Cream Whipped Cream

layers upon layers upon layers

even miss molly loved it too :)

For the Brown Sugar Pavlova Meringue:

1C Superfine Granulated Sugar

½C Light Brown Sugar

1 ½T Cornstarch

2t Vanilla Extract

2t Distilled White Vinegar

1t Almond Extract

¾C Egg Whites (from about 5-6 Large Eggs), Room Temperature

Pinch of Salt

For the Macerated Summer Berries:

1lb Strawberries, Trimmed + Quartered

1lb Blackberries

1lb Raspberries

3T Sugar

1T Balsamic Vinegar

1t Vanilla

Pinch of Salt

For the Meyer Lemon Zabaglione:

2 Large Eggs

4 Large Egg Yolks

½C Sugar

2 Meyer Lemons, Zested

1 Meyer Lemon, Juiced

¼C Marsala Wine

2T Brandy

For the Sour Cream Whipped Cream:

2C Heavy Cream, Chilled

2/3C Sour Cream

1t Vanilla

1T Confectioners’ Sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees with a rack in the middle. Lightly spray 3 cake pans with Pam, line with parchment paper, and dust with confections’ sugar (knocking out the excess until a light coating is left).

2. For the Brown Sugar Pavlova Meringue: Pulse the superfine sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch in the bowl of a food processor until well combined. Whisk together the vanilla, vinegar, and almond extract in a small bowl, set it aside. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add extract-vinegar mixture, and then beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes. Spoon meringue into pans (about 2 1/2 cups per pan) and smooth tops. Bake until meringues have a crisp crust and feel dry to the touch, about 1 hour (insides will still be marshmallow-like). Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringues in oven 1 hour (the meringues may sink slightly and crack while cooling). Run knife along sides of cake pans and carefully turn meringues out of pans. Carefully peel off parchment (meringues will be fragile and the crust may crack further). Carefully turn right side up.

3. For the Macerated Summer Berries: Toss berries with sugar, balsamic, and vanilla; let stand at room temperature until ready to use (up to 1 hour). Season with a pinch of salt, if needed, right before layering into the Pavlova.

4. For the Meyer Lemon Zabaglione: Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and set aside. Choose a saucepan large enough to set the bowl over and fill it with 2 inches of water. Bring to a simmer. Whisk the egg mixture in the bowl. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk vigorously until it is about triple in volume and thick and frothy. Lift the bowl off the steam a few times, while whisking, to insure that the mixture does not get too hot and scramble the eggs. The total cooking time will be about 8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk to cool slightly. Serve now, or cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and use within 2 hours. It may need to be whisked again just before serving.

5. For the Sour Cream Whipped Cream: Beat heavy cream with sour cream using an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks. Chill until yo are ready to use.

6. Layering the Pavlova: Put 1 meringue on a serving plate, spread one third of sour cream whipped cream over it, followed by one third of the meyer lemon zabaglione. Spoon one third of macerated summer berries, with its’ juice over top. Repeat with remaining meringues, cream, and fruit. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.

source: three layer berry and brown sugar pavlova. lemon zabaglione.

Silky Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue & Biscoff Shortbread Cookie Crust

Silky Pumpkin Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue & Biscoff Shortbread Cookie Crust

I know I promised my "Bread Pudding" Dressing with cornbread, sausage, and apples. And I didn't deliver, I'm going to try and post it tomorrow, but I hadn't edited the pictures yet. So, I'm giving y'all an awesome pumpkin pie recipe :) I never liked pumpkin pie, but I like this recipe! I think it's really special because it uses pumpkin butter, candied yams, mascarpone cheese, egg nog, bourbon, and then it's topped with a toasty marshmallow meringue. But, the best part my friends, is the Biscoff Shortbread Cookie Crust. I know all of y'all have had Biscoff Spread because it's like Heaven. I mean like Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Patty's Day, + the Fourth of July in a jar, and it can be eaten with a spoon. Biscoff and Nutella should have babies. Okay, I'm getting off topic. Anyway, the crust is addicting. The filling is utterly smooth and so comforting, and the topping is like a golden blob of summer goodness. I know this will be a main-stay at our holiday table and the crust will be used for a lot of pies in the future!! Enjoy :)

How gorgeous is that meringue?! 

So gorgeous.

For the Biscoff Shortbread Crust:

¾C Biscoff Spread (plus 2T if needed for a dry dough, it was not needed for mine though)

½C AP Flour

¼t Salt & Baking Soda

¼C Packed Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar

2T Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1 Large Egg Yolk

¼t Vanilla 

For the Silky Pumpkin Pie Filling:

1C Heavy Cream + 1C Egg Nog (or 2C Half & Half can be substituted as well)

3 Large Eggs + 3 Egg Yolks

1 Vanilla Bean, Split & Scraped for Seeds

4oz Mascarpone Cheese

15oz Pumpkin Butter

1C Candied Yams, Drained of Excess Moisture & Pureed in a Food Processor

¾C Granulated Sugar

¼C Sorghum Molasses (or maple syrup can be substituted)

1 ½t Fresh Ginger, Grated (you can add more to use 2 teaspoons or reduce to 1 teaspoon)

½t Ground Cinnamon and Pumpkin Pie Spice

¼t Freshly Grated Nutmeg & Ground Ginger

1t Salt

1T Bourbon (optional)

For the Marshmallow Meringue:

3 Egg Whites

¼t Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Salt

7oz Marshmallow Crème

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a pie dish with Pam. Set it aside.

2. For Biscoff Shortbread Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda until incorporated. Using a mixer, beat together both sugars, Biscoff Spread, and butter until well combined and mixture resembles wet sand, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk and vanilla, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl, until well blended, about 3 minutes (the mixture will be clumpy). Gradually add in the dry ingredients with your hands and beat until just combined (it will be crumbly, if it is too dry add another 1-2T of Biscoff Spread, but do not over-mix). Gather dough with your hands, place into the prepared pan, and press evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the dish. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Set this aside and keep it warm while you make the filling.

3. Making the Silky Pumpkin Pie Filling: In a mixing bowl, add in the softened mascarpone cheese and beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Next, whisk or beat the heavy cream, egg nog, eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla bean until completely smooth. Combine the pumpkin butter, candied yam puree, sugar, sorghum molasses (or maple syrup), fresh ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring this mixture to a simmer over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Continue to simmer, while continually stirring, until thick and shiny, for 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan for heat and whisk in the cream mixture slowly, until fully incorporated (an immersion blender can be helpful as well because it will puree any lumps left while cooking). Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a mixing bowl, using a rubber spatula to press the solids through. Stir in the bourbon if you are using it. Whisk the mixture together once more and pour the filling into the warm, pre-baked pie shell.

4. Baking the Pie: Bake the pie for 10 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 300 degrees to continue baking the pie for 20-30 minutes more. The edges of the pie should be set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pie should register to roughly 175 degrees (don’t worry about the hole cause by the thermometer because it will be covered by the marshmallow meringue topping). Let the pie cool slightly while you make the marshmallow meringue.

5. For the Marshmallow Meringue Topping: While the pie is cooling slightly, beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a standing mixer, at a high speed. Beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add marshmallow crème in small portions, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.  Spread or pipe the meringue over the top of the pumpkin pie in an even layer, making sure to seal edges completely (you can be as creative or rustic as you like with this layer, depending on your style). Broil the top of the marshmallow meringue with a kitchen torch until it reaches a golden brown & toasted marshmallow look (do not let it burn). You can also use the broiler in your oven to achieve similar results.

6. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 2-3 hours. During this time, the pie will finish cooking from resident heat, to ensure the filling sets, cool it at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.

7. Once cooled, cut the pumpkin pie into slices and enjoy immediately!

Lemon Meringue Pie with Toasted Brown Sugar Meringue

Lemon Meringue Pie with Toasted Brown Sugar Meringue

Happy Lemon Meringue Pie Day!! Oh, you didn't know that was today? Wow, what kinda foodie are you? I mean really. Ha, actually I didn't know it was either until it popped up on computer screen this morning. And whadya know... I actually made Lemon Meringue Pie last week and I just had the recipe layin' around for a rainy day. Well, it's not rainy, but it's a national holiday. I have always loved Lemon Meringue Pie. There is just something about it that makes me so happy. I love the uber tart filling that is smothered & covered by a glossy yet toasted meringue. And for me, you can't go light on the meringue. I need a big ole' pile of it. Especially when it is perfectly browned and fluffy... just like a marshmallow. I know that I typically go all out on my recipes, and it must be frustrating for some of you. Yet this recipe is quite classic in comparison to some of my more complicated meals. Obviously you can make it a lot easier on yourself by buying pie crust, but I made my favorite homemade pastry for this pie. It's just better that way. There's something so happy about pie, ya know? You just cut a slice, sit at the table, and eat. Somehow, for just a moment, you think about nothin' else... but that pie. Maybe that's just me. Probably. Anyway, I hope that y'all all get a slice of Lemon Meringue Pie before the day is done because at least we all have an excuse to get fat right? You bet!! Enjoy :)

A Perfect Pile of Toasted Brown Sugar Meringue

I mean, look at those peaks :)

Nothin' but a slice of pie...

For the Lemon Meringue Pie:

1 ½C Cold Water

1C Sugar

¼C Cornstarch

Pinch of Salt

6 Egg Yolks, Beaten

2T Lemon Zest

½C Fresh Lemon Juice

2T Unsalted Butter

Homemade Pie Crust, Pre-Baked

 

For the Toasted Brown Sugar Meringue:

1 ½C Light Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed

½C Water

¾C Egg Whites, Room Temperature

¼t Cream of Tartar

  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven and spray a pie dish with Pam and bake your crust (whether it be homemade or store-bought). Once baked, set aside until ready to fill.

2. For the Lemon Pie Filling: Bring the water, sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat (keep it at medium the entire time while you are cooking) while whisking constantly. Once it thickens a lot and starts to turn translucent, whisk in the egg yolks, two at a time, then the lemon zest, lemon juice, and lastly the butter. Go slowly and whisk constantly. Allow the mixture to come up to a full simmer (it should be getting very thick!), and then remove from the heat and pour into the prebaked piecrust (make sure the filling is still hot when you top it with the meringue).

3. For the Toasted Brown Sugar Meringue: Put the brown sugar in a small, deep, heavy-based saucepan and cover with the water. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Attach a candy thermometer to the sugar saucepan and bring the sugar to a boil over high heat. When the sugar syrup reaches 246°F, start whipping the egg whites on high speed until very foamy and just starting to gain some volume, about 30 seconds. Keep whipping the egg whites, remove the thermometer from the pan, and very carefully and slowly pour about one-third of the sugar syrup into the mixing egg whites (it plops out in drops), avoiding the whip. Add the remaining sugar syrup in a faster, steady stream. Continue whipping the whites until they become voluminous and form firm but not stiff peaks, about 3 minutes; the meringue should still be warm. Scrape the meringue from the bowl onto the hot lemon filling and, using a rubber spatula, create a smooth dome (avoid pressing on the meringue). With the back of a spoon, make decorative peaks in the meringue, working quickly before the meringue cools completely. If you have a kitchen torch, use it to brown the meringue. If not, set a broiler or oven rack to a lower rung and heat the broiler. Set the pie on a baking sheet and put it under the broiler, turning it several times to brown the meringue as evenly as possible.

4. Store the meringue-topped pie in the refrigerator. The meringue is best when served within a few hours; after about 12 hours, it will start to weep and break down.

source: lemon meringue pie. meringue. 

From-Scratch, Homemade Southern Banana Pudding with Shortbread Cookie Crumbles, Creamy Roasted Banana-Vanilla Bean Pudding, Whipped Cream, Sliced Banana, & Toasted Marshmallow Meringue

Homemade Southern Banana Pudding (all from scratch)

As a southerner, banana pudding has a big spot in my heart. It is by far one of my favorite desserts, and always a go-to recipe for any meal. I mean, we plan on serving banana pudding at out wedding, y'all. Not like that's even close to happening, but still it will be there. How can you not love banana pudding? The cookies, creamy vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and fresh bananas... that's just a winning combination. I have a recipe that I usually make because it is easy and always delicious. But, for a while now, I have been wanting to tackle a homemade recipe, each component, all from scratch. And, I know that this sounds quite the feat, but I wanted to do it... I had to do it. So I did. First, I started off with the cookie component. I have never liked Vanilla Wafers, I'm sorry they just aren't my cup of tea. I decided I wanted to make classic shortbread cookies because they are just buttery-deliciousness. And instead of leaving them whole, I crumbled them up so that they would be evenly distributed throughout the pudding. And the cookies are my absolutely favorite part of the whole dessert, so I want A LOT. They are the best the day after you layer them in because they get soft and soak up all that pudding amazingness. Next, I made a luscious, creamy roasted banana-vanilla bean pudding. I started off by making a class vanilla bean pudding. I made this a lot thicker than a pudding that you would ever want to eat because I added in cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and roasted bananas, and all of these additions thinned it out quite a bit. So don't be alarmed if it seems disgustingly thick. It will get there, just trust me on this one. I think what makes this pudding unique is the addition of the roasted bananas. It brings another level of banana goodness to the dessert. Because not only do you have sliced bananas throughout, but it's incorporated into the pudding as well. Also, I made a homemade whipped cream to layer in between all of the other components. You could easily buy store-bought whipped cream, but that's not the point of this recipe, we're doing it all from scratch, people! The last and final component is the toasted marshmallow meringue topping. Holy moly, I love meringue. And I love marshmallow even more, so when you combine these together and top the banana pudding with it, it's even better. Not to even mention that it is toasted until golden brown & delicious, just like a toasted marshmallow. OMG, yum. Just talking about this dessert is making me salivate. Lemme go grab a mason jar from the fridge real quick... okay, I'm back. So, now that I have discussed each component in ridiculous detail, all you have to do is layer this bad boy up into a serving dish (or individual mason jars) and dig in. I seriously love this recipe, and I don't even care that it is crazy-involved. The end result is totes worth it!! Enjoy :)

Here's the Toasted Marshmallow Meringue Topping

Look at those beautifully browned tips 

An individual serving of Southern Banana Pudding in a mason jar

Layers of Shortbread Cookies, Banana Slices, Creamy Roasted-Vanilla Bean Pudding, & Whipped Cream 

Diggin' in

Oh man, this is so good.

Here's all of it in a big ole' bowl...

It's so good, that even dogs like it!

For the Homemade Shortbread Cookies:

3 Sticks of Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

1C Sugar

1t Vanilla

3 ½C AP Flour

¼t Salt

 

For the Creamy Roasted Banana-Vanilla Bean Pudding:

3-4 Large Roasted Bananas, Mashed & Cooled

2 2/3C Whole Milk, Divided

½C Sugar

½C Cornstarch

¼t Salt (heaping)

1 Vanilla Bean, Scraped for Seeds

1 Large Egg

1t Vanilla

8oz Package of Cream Cheese, Softened

14oz Can of Sweetened, Condensed Milk

For the Whipped Cream:

2C Heavy Cream, Chilled

2t Vanilla

2T Confectioners’ Sugar

Pinch of Salt

For the Toasted Marshmallow Meringue Topping:

3 Egg Whites

¼t Cream of Tartar

Pinch of Salt

7oz Marshmallow Crème

For the Southern Layered Banana Pudding:

Homemade Shortbread Cookies, Crumbled

Prepared Creamy Roasted Banana-Vanilla Bean Pudding, Chilled

3 Fresh Large Bananas, Cut into Slices

Homemade Whipped Cream, Chilled

Prepared Marshmallow Meringue Topping, Toasted with a Kitchen Torch

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Shortbread Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350. Then in an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla, then sift together the flour and salt and mix this into the butter. Beat until it just comes together, then pat the dough into a disc and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. After the dough has chilled, roll it out and using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into square cookies (or use a pizza cutter to cut into squares). Place the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cookies completely cool before layering them into the banana pudding. Once the cookies have cooled, crumble them into bite size pieces and set aside.

2. Roasting the Bananas: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the bananas on a sheet tray that is covered with parchment paper. Bake the bananas for 20 minutes, and then flip over the bananas, and roast for another 20 minutes or until the skins are dark brown and the inside is soft. Let the roasted bananas cool, and then carefully peel them and place them into a bowl. Mash with a fork until somewhat smooth, but still some chunks remain. Put the mashed bananas into a fine mesh strainer and strain out any juice. This took about 30 minutes for me. After they have strained, put them into a mixing bowl, and then puree the mixture until as smooth as possible. Then measure out the banana puree to about one cup (that’s all that I used, and that was from exactly 4 bananas). Also, make sure the mashed, roasted bananas are completely cool before layering them into the pudding.

3. For the Creamy Roasted Banana-Vanilla Bean Pudding: Bring 2C of the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. While it is heating, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla bean (toss the leftover vanilla bean pods in the pot with the simmering milk for an extra vanilla boost) in the bottom of a medium, heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the remaining 2/3C whole milk, a little at a time so lumps do not form, and then whisk in the egg. Once milk is boiling, very gradually add it to the cornstarch mixture in the bowl, whisking the whole time. Return the mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly with a silicon spatula or wooden spoon. Once it comes to a simmer, cook it for one minute longer (which will cook the cornstarch and egg fully). Pour the pudding into a large mixing bowl and chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 2-4 hours. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the top of the pudding before you chill it to prevent pudding skin. Once the pudding and the roasted bananas have chilled, remove the pudding from the refrigerator. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and sweetened, condensed milk until smooth. Add this mixture into the chilled vanilla bean pudding, mixing until incorporated. Next, fold in the 1C of pureed, roasted bananas until they are mixed throughout (make sure they are room temperature or chilled). Return the finished pudding to the refrigerator to chill and set for another hour while you gather and make the remaining components.

4. For the Homemade Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in the vanilla and sugar until stiff peaks form. Make sure to beat the cream slightly thicker than usual. Make sure the whipped cream is chilled until ready to use.

5. Assembling the Layered Southern Banana Pudding: Layer a third of the homemade shortbread cookies into the bottom of a large serving bowl or trifle dish. Spread the slices of 1 fresh banana in an even layer on top of the shortbread cookie layer. Top the bananas with a third of the chilled creamy roasted banana-vanilla bean pudding. Spoon a half of the homemade whipped cream (a half of the half batch, so technically a fourth of the total batch) on top of the pudding layer. Repeat the layering procedure twice. Cover the pudding and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set. The process should go cookies, banana slices, pudding, and whipped cream. You should have 3 cookie layers, 3 banana layers, 3 pudding layers, 2 whipped cream layers, and 1 marshmallow meringue topping. Do not do the marshmallow meringue topping until you are ready to serve.

6. For the Marshmallow Meringue Topping: After the pudding has chilled for a few hours, beat together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a standing mixer, at a high speed. Beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add marshmallow crème in small portions, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.  Spread or pipe the meringue over the top of the pudding in an even layer, making sure to seal edges completely (you can be as creative or rustic as you like with this layer, depending on your style). Broil the top of the marshmallow meringue with a kitchen torch until it reaches a golden brown & toasted marshmallow look (do not let it burn). 

7. Scoop into bowls and serve the pudding chilled. Enjoy immediately!

source: vanilla bean pudding. classic shortbread cookies. 

Deep Dish Key Lime Meringue Pie

Citrus is by far one of my favorite flavors. I'm one of those people that actually eats lemons & limes like an orange. I'm aware that this is a very strange habit, but I love it, so deal with it. I love lemon bars, lemon meringue pie, lemon curd, lemonade, lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange... this list goes on as you can see. But today I decided to focus on key lime pie. Key lime pie is an ultimate favorite. And in order for me to like your key lime pie, I need there to be a thick crust with a TART (I mean tart) key lime filling. I also love meringue on lemon pie, so I couldn't just leave that out. When I bake, I try to make a few subtle changes that just make the dish just a little bit better. So instead of doing just a classic graham cracker crust, I bought the gourmet Biscoff Cinnamon Cookies, which make for a crunchier crust, and lend a great flavor to the rest of the pie. I also used only fresh key lime juice. This is the only way, people. Please do it fresh... it makes all the difference! Now here comes my secret component. Just on top of the key lime filling and just below the mountain of toasted meringue, lies a layer of slightly sweetened sour cream. I know this might sound bizarre or it might sound delicious. But this layer provides a great balance of flavors. The creaminess of the sour cream really works well with the tart lime flavor. And since it's a secret, you kind of sit there while eating the pie and think, "What am I tasting". Anyway, I keep rambling on and on, and I promise I'm stopping. But, I really loved this pie, every stinkin' different layer of it. Enjoy :)

A Beauty Shot of that Golden Toasted Meringue

Deep Dish Key Lime Meringue Pie 

For the Crust:

3C Biscoff Cookie Crumbs

1C Sugar

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Melted

For the Key Lime Pie Filling:

2 14oz Cans of Sweetened, Condensed Milk

6 Egg Yolks (save the egg whites for the topping)

1C Fresh Key Lime Juice

3 Limes, Zested

Green Food Coloring (to your liking)

For the Sour Cream Layer:

1C Sour Cream

3T Confectioners’ Sugar

For the Meringue Topping:

6 Egg Whites

½t Cream of Tartar

½C Sugar

Directions:

1. For the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a spring form pan with Pam, and set it aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cookie crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan and bake it for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven). Remove from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature before filling.
2. For the Key Lime Pie Filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, egg yolks, and key lime juice until well blended. And then add in the fresh lime zest & food coloring (to you liking). Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes (depending on your oven), or until the pie filling is set, but still jiggles slightly. Remove the pie from the oven and let the filling cool & set slightly.
3. For the Sour Cream Layer: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spoon this sour cream mixture on top of the key lime filling and smooth it out into a thin, even layer.
4. For the Meringue Topping: In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peeks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff. Spread the meringue over the sour cream layer, making sure to seal to the edge of the crust. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes (or you can broil it for a shorter period of time) until the meringue is golden brown. Remove the cake from the oven and refrigerate the pie for at least 2 hours before slicing.

*Check out Sweets for a Saturday for this recipe, as well as many others!!