Dairy-Free Key Lime Pie
I posted a recipe for this pie quite a long time ago, and I’ve streamlined it a LOT since then. Here’s the improved, fuss-free version. DAIRY-FREE KEY LIME PIE 4 C almond milk 1 1/3 C sugar 5 eggs ½ C + 2-3 TB lime juice Combine the almond milk and sugar in a heavy pot, whisking; bring to a simmer and continue to simmer until reduced to 2 C, or just under. (The easiest way to do this is to dip a mixing spoon into the pot, handle first, to set a 'high water mark' and just keep checking til the depth is half what it was?) Let your condensed almond milk mostly cool; it's fine if it's warmish but you don't want it too hot, because you don't want to risk strings of egg. About the eggs. Beat your eggs til they form a homogenous mixture. Whisk them into the condensed milk and put your pot back on medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture is thick and “plappy,” with large slow bubbles rising. It will cook up and be frothy before it cooks down to ‘plappy'ness; you’ll know when it’s gone through the changes. Add the lime juice and a few drops of green food colouring, if you like. (You can test for doneness by letting a spoonful cool and seeing how firm it is. When it cools to a thick pudding consistency, you're good to go.) Pour the custard into a blind baked pie crust, and bake at 350 for 15 min. Chill overnight. To clarify: A blind-baked crust is a partially prebaked crust, preventing soggy bottoms and bubbled-up crusts which displace your filling. Take your pie crust (I'm not too good to use the frozen no-name ones) and line it with parchment paper and some kind of weight, like dried beans or a handful of spoons, and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
