Heirloom Key Lime Pie

Several years ago I treated a young man from Key West, Florida who was dying of AIDS. A couple of weeks before he died, he gave me his 75 year old family recipe for Key Lime Pie. He explained that most Key Lime Pie recipes use condensed milk. Even restaurants in Key West serve Key Lime Pie made with condensed milk. Jessie was disdainful of this version. His family recipe, passed from generation to generation, does not used condensed milk. Jessie claimed it is the only authentic Key Lime Pie recipe. So in memory of Jessie, I offer it to you. (Recipe from a Hospice Nurse).

5 eggs, separated

3/4 C. sugar

1/3 C. Key lime juice

1 T. butter

1/4 C. sugar (for meringue)

1 (9-inch) baked pie shell, graham cracker crust, or Macademia nut crust

Separate eggs into three bowls - 5 yolks in one bowl, 2 egg whites in another, and 3 egg whites in the third. This is the most important step in the whole operation!!!

Cream egg yolks, add 3/4 cup sugar and key lime juice and mix thoroughly. Cook over low heat until very, very thick, add butter and remove from heat. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile beat 2 egg whites until stiff, then fold into cooled lime mixture. Fill pie shell.

Beat the other 3 whites until stiff. Beat in 1/4 cup sugar. Pile meringue on top of lime filling and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes.

Macadamia Coconut Crust

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

3/4 c butter

2/3 c macadamia nuts

2/3 c toasted coconut flakes

1 tsp sugar

3 Tbsp coconut milk or coconut flavored almond milk, optional if needed

If your macadamia nuts are whole, put them into a food processor and pulse till they are in small chunks.  Set aside.

Place flour, butter, 1 teaspoon of sugar into a food processor and mix well. Stir in coconut and macadamia nuts. (Do not mix them with the food processor. It will break them up too much.) Add coconut milk or coconut flavored almond milk, if needed.

Place ball of dough on floured surface and flatten.

Bake crust at 425º for 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely before filling.

NOTE: The Macadamia crust is very tender, and difficult to remove from the pie pan. May need to spray with PAM first.