7 tbsp melted unsalted butter
pinch salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 14oz can condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
4 large eggs
optional: grated lime zest, 1-2 drops green food color
3/4 cup sugar
1.5 tsp light corn syrup
If you're making the crust from scratch, pour the crumbs, melted butter, salt and 1/3 c sugar into a bowl and mix well to combine. It should have the consistency of wet sand. Press this mixture firmly into a pie tin, working one section at a time. The key to a good crust is to pack it down VERY firmly, using the back of a measuring cup helps with this process. Once crust is assembled, put it in the fridge to firm for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350/180 degrees. Separate the eggs taking care to ensure no yolk ends up in the whites, otherwise your meringue will fail. In a bowl, combine egg yolks, condensed milk, lime juice and optional zest and coloring, and stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour into pie crust and place in pre-heated oven to bake for 15-20 minutes. The mixture should still be wobbly at the end of baking time, and keep an eye on the edges to make sure it's not overcooking. Remove from oven and allow to cool, then place in fridge to cool further. This meringue needs a 1:1 ratio of sugar to egg whites. Pour the egg whites into a measuring cup to see how much you have, then add the same amount of sugar. Put whites, sugar and corn syrup into a small saucepan over very low heat, and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Pour mix into a bowl and immediately beat using an electric hand mixer or whisk attachment. It will take around 7-10 minutes to get to the right consistency. The finished meringue should have firm peaks that don't move or sink back into the bowl at all. Spread meringue over cooled pie, making sure to seal the meringue to the crust and not leave any filling exposed. Use a spatula to flick up peaks in the meringue. To brown the top, it's best to use a culinary blowtorch. You can use a broiler but take care to ensure it doesn't burn, which can happen very quickly. Store in refrigerator - will keep about a week, but you'll have eaten it all before then.