Modifying a key lime pie recipe

(Los Angeles, CA)

Hi there!

Thanks very much for entertaining this question - I know it's not wedding-related, but I'm hoping you can help anyway!

I recently tried to make a coffee pie by altering a key lime pie recipe. I combined a can of sweetened condensed milk with 4 eggs -- and instead of 1/2 cup of lime juice, I used 1/2 a cup of ultra-strong cardamom-spiced coffee. Then baked at 350 for 15 minutes. The coffee hadn't cooled completely when I added it, but it wasn't hot enough to curdle the eggs. It was just slightly warm. My pre-baked crust was also slightly warm when I added the filling.

After I baked it, I let it sit out for an hour and then refrigerated it over night. Problem is -- it never set!

Any thoughts about why and how I might be able to modify (more egg? less coffee?) to make this work? it was so delicious with the milk - I added cardamom and it tasted just like Thai Iced Coffee. So yummy!

Thank you for any help you can provide!!!

Best,
Avigail


Hi Avigail, I love pie!!! Especially Key Lime Pie. I am looking at my favorite key lime pie recipe and it has 6 eggs versus the 4, so you may want to try that. But I have a feeling it may have to do with the acidity in the lime juice. Also you may want to try using gelatin in the recipe. Try using 1 envelope of gelatin and mixing it with the liquid ingredients.

I found this recipe that may work better for a coffee pie. Which by the way sounds yummy.

1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2/3 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs separated

Sub the 1/2 cup of coffee in for these next two ingredients
1/4 cup cognac
1/4 cup creme de cacao

2 cups heavy cream
1 9 inch pie crust (they call for a chocolate crumb crust)

Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in saucepan. Add 1/3 cup of the sugar, salt, and the egg yolks. Stir to blend. heat over low heat and stir in the coffee. Chill until the mixture starts to mound slightly. Beat the egg whites until stiff. gradually beat in the remaining sugar and fold into the thickened gelatin mixture. Fold in one cup of the whipped cream. Turn into the crust. Top with the remaining cup of whipped cream. Wow that sounds great!!!

If you do find a solution or if you try these ideas out please let us know.
I may try it myself now. Thanks so much for visiting and asking a fun question about modifying a key lime pie recipe.
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