Happy Pi Day! As many of you know, I'm from Kitchener-Waterloo…home of the University of Waterloo and its renowned maths, engineering and computer science faculties, The Perimeter Institute, and one of North America's fertile tech hubs…so pi day can take on a slightly different feel than in other areas.
Much to my parents' regret, the maths and sciences genes swerved by me, leaving me more interested in pie than pi. That said, I've been known to watch documentaries and attend lectures about physics, stats and math. And of course a good percentage of my working life--both corporate and as an independent consultant is spent with maths and science inclined colleagues and clients. The numbers part of my brain is alive and well, just happily riding the waves of words, music and art that usually preoccupy my mind.
I usually let Pi Day pass sans fooferah, but this year, thanks to my unhealthy obsession with all those lovely Buzzfeed quizzes, I found out I am a key lime pie. That is, the "Which Pie Are You?" quiz offered the following proclamation:
"You're tart and sweet, and so, so creamy. You think outside the box, which can be your biggest asset. Nothing's quite as satisfying as your cool graham cracker crust."
Yeah. That sounds about right.
But so do the other quizzes I've taken. I'm Lady Violet, Lizzie Bennett as well as Abigail. I'm Henry Rollins from Black Flag and I'm Wonder Woman. I'm so awesome I don't need to give up anything for Lent…especially snickerdoodles.
But back to pie…erhm…pi…erhm…
Needless to say, ever since that pie quiz, key lime pies have been jostling for room in my head. And it turns out…I happen to have all the ingredients on hand. Sweetened condensed milk and coconut extract in the pantry, cookie crumbs, coconut and lime juice in the freezer. The rest --sugar, salt, butter and eggs are almost in use.
The filling is a pretty standard, unfettered key lime pie filling. The crust is a result of a bit of kitchen playing. Together they create a rather easy and lovely pie. The only caveat I can offer is that it does take a full workday to set, so make it the night before or the morning of to ensure the filling is properly cooled and set.
Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Coconut Crust
Yield one 9" (23cm) pie.
Ingredients
For the crust
150g/300ml/1.25c less 2tsp chocolate wafer crumbs
55g/165ml/0.66c unsweetened desiccated coconut
20ml/2dspn/4tsp sugar
1pinch salt
40g/45ml/3Tbsp butter, melted
1tsp/5ml coconut extract
For the filling
375g/14oz/300ml/1.25c less 2tsp sweetened condensed milk (one tin)
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
150ml/0.5c+1Tbsp+2tsp key lime juice (or regular lime juice)
1 pinch salt
Method
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
For the crust:
Mix all crust ingredients together. The texture will be damp sand-like.
Press onto the bottom, and up the sides of a pie tin. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack.
Leave the oven on as you mix the filling.
For the filling:
Mix the tinned milk with the yolks. Add the juice and salt and mix until smooth.
Pour into cooled crust. Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool on the counter for about 30 minutes and then set, uncovered, in the fridge for 8 hours.
Garnish, if you must, with sweetened whipped cream.
Note:
If you're squeezing the lime juice yourself, rasp a couple of teaspoons of zest and mix into the filling.
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