Pomegranate Lime Meringue Pie

When Martha Stewart recently held a pie bake-off, two of her finalists were Jerseyans--Karen Mazanek of Hackettstown (apple/pear/blueberry pie) and Angela Galan of Guttenberg (pomegranate lime meringue pie). Here is Galan's recipe...

Posted November 18, 2009

Pomegranate Lime Meringue Pie
10-inch pie

Crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

-Combine sugar, cinnamon and graham cracker crumbs.
-Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
-Pour melted butter into graham cracker mixture. Stir to combine.
-Press evenly into 10 inch pie plate.
-Bake at 350* F for 7 minutes, until golden.

Filling:
1 cup sugar
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup pomegranate concentrate (it can be found at health food stores or Whole Foods)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp lemon extract
1 tbsp red food dye
1/3 cup cornstarch
9 egg yolks, whisked
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

-Whisk together sugar, juices, lemon extract, dye and cornstarch in a saucepan until thoroughly combined and not lumpy.

-Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

-Add 1/3 of the hot liquid into the egg yolk (whisking constantly so the eggs don't scramble)

-Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and turn the heat to medium.

-Bring mixture to a boil while whisking constantly.

-Mixture must boil for a minimum of 2 minutes.

-Remove from heat and strain directly into cooled crust.

-Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and allow to set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Meringue:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
6 egg whites, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine sugar and water in saucepan.
Bring to a rolling boil. Wet down the sides of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush so the sugar doesn't crystallize.
Begin beating the egg whites with pinch of salt on high speed until soft-medium peaks are formed.
Check sugar with candy thermometer. It needs to reach soft-ball stage, about 270*F.
With mixer running, pour sugar in a slow but steady stream down the inside of the mixing bowl.
Add vanilla.
Beat on high speed for 6 -10 minutes or until meringue is shiny, smooth and cooled.
Pile meringue on top of cooled pie.
Swirl with a small spatula to create peaks and swirls
Torch meringue until golden.
Top pie with pomegranate seeds. Enjoy.