Sweetheart Pie

Today's pie is brought to you by my little sister, Lizzy.  She is 9 months pregnant, due any day, and took some time to make this pie for this series.  Say it with me, AW!  That's sisterly love.  I'm excited to be an aunt again.  Anywho, she makes this super tangy raspberry and key lime pie.  A nice little twist on a traditional key lime pie.

This is yet another pie that uses a meringue.  Notice though how Lizzy's meringue differs from my mom's meringue.  Lizzy chooses to swirl her meringue around on top, while my mom chooses to make peaks.  Either way, it's a lovely way to top a tangy fruit pie.

Sweetheart Pie

Ingredients: 

Crust:

1 cup flour
1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. butter, cubed
3-4 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. honey

Meringue:

6 egg whites
1 + 1/8 cup granulated sugar

Filling:

4 cups frozen raspberries
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. key lime juice
1 Tbs. sugar, honey, or agave nectar (optional)

Directions:

1. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut butter into flour until the butter is in pea-sized chunks. Add two tablespoons of water and mix with a fork. Add honey and mix. Add one to two more tablespoons (depending on altitude and humidity) of water and mix with hands. Form dough into a ball and place in a ziploc baggie. Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until they start to stiffen. Gradually mix in increments of sugar, while continuously beating until stiff peaks form. The meringue is done if it does not fall off of a spoon when held upside down. Set meringue aside in fridge.

3. Combine filling ingredients in a sauce pan and stir to coat evenly. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and let simmer for five minutes, still stirring.

4. Keep filling on warm and heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface and place in a pie dish. Make crust by going around the edge and pushing your thumb between your two pointer fingers and make divets.

5. Pour warm filling into crust and top with meringue, smoothing over the top with a spatula. For show, you can whip the middle of the meringue up to form a single peak.

6. Bake pie for thirty minutes or until the meringue is done and the crust is golden brown. Serve warm and/or a-la-mode. 

Makes 1, 9" pie

Serves 8