Key Lime Pie

Bake the crust

• Place the room temperature pie crust in the pie dish and pinch the edges of the crust into the grooves in the dish
• Pierce the dough with a fork a dozen times, then place pie weights (or substitute with dry rice/dry beans) in the bottom of the dish.
• Bake according to package instructions, removing the weights halfway through.

Make the key lime filling

• Preheat the oven to 325°
• Crack the eggs and separate yolk from whites, setting aside whites to become room temperature
• Combine egg yolks with sweetened condensed milk and key lime juice. Add green food coloring, if desired.
• Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 10 minutes.
• Let cool for 5 minutes

Make the meringue

• Add egg whites to a stand mixer bowl. Using whisk attachment on high speed, whisk until egg whites reach stiff peaks (5-10 minutes).
• Slowly add the sugar and cream of tartar to egg whites. Whisk another 2-3 minutes.

Assemble the pie

• Using a rubber spatula, spread meringue over the pie and ensure to seal edge of pie crust with meringue.

Bake & cool the pie

• Preheat oven to 350°

• Place the meringue topped pie into the oven on middle rack

• Increase oven temperature by 25° every 2 minutes until meringue is brown on top. Use the oven light as this happens quickly.

• Remove from oven and cool 1 hour on countertop. Place in fridge 3-4 hours.

• Warm a knife under hot water before slicing pie.