wigs, more info on the Key Lime Pie with gelatine

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I did a little reading in my old Joy Of Cooking (1951 version) and think your problem may simply be how you're handling the gelatine. Could be you're heating it too much. I tried to find a maximum temperature, but failed.

The gelatine ratios are correct so that's not the issue.

I'm going to post two lemon desserts with gelatine from the book. Read how the gelatine is incorporated and see if you can make your recipe work this way.

 
Gelatine Lemon (or Lime) Chiffon Pie (from Joy of Cooking)

Ingredients:
Baked 9" pie shell
1 TBL gelatine
1/4 C water
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C lemon or lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
4 beaten egg yolks
1 tsp grated lemon (or lime) zest
4 egg whites
1/2 C sugar
1 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla**
3 TBL confectioners' sugar**

Soak gelatine in water.

Over a double boiler, cook the sugar, juice, salt and eggs until they reach the consistency of a custard (I think that may be around 160 degrees, but don't quote me).

Remove from heat and add the softened gelatine and zest. (Mar's Note: Notice that the gelatine is not "heated" per se.)

Chill.

Whip egg whites until heavy soft peaks. Add sugar slowly until stiff peaks can be formed. Do not overbeat or it will get dry.

Beat heavy cream until stiff.(**You can leave this out of the pie filling and use it on the TOP instead. In that case, add the vanilla and sugar.)

When the custard is chilled and thickening, beat it with a whisk until it is fluffy. Fold in the egg whites. Fold in the heavy cream. Fill pie shell and chill thoroughly.

 
Lemon Fluff from the Joy of Cooking

Ingredients:
2 tsp gelatine
3 TBL cold water
4 egg yolks
Juice of two lemons
2/3 C sugar
4 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
3 TBL sugar

Soak gelatine in cold water.

In a double boiler, BEAT the egg yolks and lemon juice until light. Gradually add the 2/3 C sugar. Add the soaked gelatine. Continue beating over simmering water until the custard thickens somewhat. (I swear that how the directions are written). Cool it.

Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks. Add 3 TBL sugar until stiff but not dry peaks.

Fold egg whites lightly into the custard. Place the fluff in a large bowl or in individual servings. Line with Lady fingers or cookies or neither.

 
Test run is over...no rubbery-ness yet. Tomorrow's taste test will tell.

wigs,

I wanted to follow your recipe to see if avoiding direct heat with the gelatin helped the situation.

I used some of the lime juice to moisten the gelatine and let it sit off to the side while the rest of the lime juice reduced. Then I added ONLY the sugar and simmered that for a few minutes to dissolve. I poured the hot lime/sugar mixture into a 2 C Pyrex and added the softened thick gelatine and stirred continuously until it dissolved.

It sat on the counter while I whipped up the egg yolks for 2 minutes, then added the chilled condensed milk for 1 minute. The mix was pretty thick until I added the lime/sugar/gelatin mixture. Whipped that for 4 minutes following your recipe. It thinned out by this time, but no rubbery-ness.

I popped it into the frig while I blind-baked a pie crust. Every 5 minutes I stirred the filling as it was already thickening. I wanted to make sure it didn't firm up while in the bowl.

Crust is done and the filling is in. It's at least twice as thick as when it first started out. I'm fairly confident it will be fully firm by tomorrow.

Taste test is creamy and tangy, without a hint of rubbery-ness.

I think both gelatin and glue are made from animal proteins. I have no clue why I think that, but the process to make glue involves heating it...which may be where yours is going wrong...too much heat is turning the gelatin into glue.

 
Wow, MarilynFL, you have gone the distance in figuring out my Key Lime Pie problem, and I sincerely

thank you! I know if gelatin is boiled, that will mess it up and it won't thicken properly, but I never thought about high heat doing a number on it and turning it into glue.

You have also reminded me to refer to some of my older cookbooks for techniques. My JOY OF COOKING was printed in 1975, and it has the identical Lemon (Lime) Chiffon Pie recipe U posted above, but no Lemon Fluff so I'm glad to add the latter recipe to my files.

Thanks to you, I'm all re-inspired to tackle my Key Lime Pie recipe from The Sea Captain's Restaurant again!

(Totally unrelated aside: My old JOY OF COOKING is the only place where I could ever find adequate instruction on how to properly make butter shapes, balls and curls using my grandmother's old wooden plunger molds and her corrugated wooden paddles.)

 
UPDATE! Today the pie is rubbery! The key to this may be to

eat it the same day as it is made.

Last night, after I posted, we had a slice and the filling was creamy and soft, but firm enough to slice.

Today it is even firmer, but it is no longer creamy...just firm. I would call it rubbery.

So...either eat the same day or reduce the amount of gelatin.

 
We don't like the canned milk type filling -- here is our favorite Key Lime Pie recipe:

in case you want to try something new smileys/smile.gif

Key Lime Pie
McCalls Magazine, Jan 1992

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/4 cups + 6 tbl. sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup Key lime juice (no substitutes)
1 tsp. grated lime zest (colored part of peel. note: I don’t always add this)
3 large eggs, separated
1-1/2 cups boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. In bowl, combine crumbs and butter. Mix well and press over bottom and sides of 9” pie plate - using the bottom of a glass helps. Bake 8 minutes and cool. (you can always used a regular baked pie crust).
2. Make filling: In saucepan, combine the 1-1/4 cups sugar, cornstarch, lime juice and zest; mix well. Whisk in egg yolks. Gradually stir in the boiling water until blended. Over med-hi heat, bring to boiling, whisking; cook and whisk for 4 minutes until thick. Pour into bowl and carefully stand this bowl into a larger one filled with ice and water to cool the mixture. Pour filling into crust.
3. Raise oven temperature to 425 deg. In electric mixer bowl, at high speed, beat egg whites, adding remaining sugar mixed with 1 tsp. cornstarch, slowly until stiff peaks form; spread over filling to cover completely. Bake 4 min. or until golden.
Chill at least 8 hours before serving.
NOTE: I don’t use the meringue topping -- I use real whipped cream, whipped with 1 tbl. powdered sugar.

 
M--how about using a lime curd REC: Key Lime Curd...

Key Lime Curd

1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs -- lightly beaten
1/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice -- plus
2 teaspoons grated lime rind -- from about 6 fresh limes
4 Tbls. unsalted butter -- cut into small pieces

1. Place sugar, eggs, lime juice, and zest in a medium nonreactive saucepan; set over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to thicken and holds the mark of the whisk, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Remove pan from heat, and whisk in the butter, a piece at a time, until well combined. Strain mixture through a sieve into a glass bowl. Lay plastic directly on surface to preven a skin from forming. Chill 3 hours or overnight to set the curd.

Source:
"Martha Stewart"
S(Forum Member):
"Marbalet"
Yield:
"3/4 cup"
Start to Finish Time:
"0:15"

NOTES : Must chill 3 hours or overnight to set

 
Hmm, doesn't that beat all? In a restaurant I cannot imagine this pie would be totally served

on the same day it's made--there would be too much waste.

My next attempt will be to make it with half the amount of gelatin, but I'll use the process Marilyn suggested above so I don't overheat it. I'll report back on the outcome. Thanks again for all your help, Marilyn.

 
cheezz--your point is well taken & is what I like about the version in Myrtle Beach-it doesn't have

the pronounced canned flavor to me of the old 4-ingredient recipe U see everywhere consisting of yolks, lime juice, zest & sweet condensed milk.

I've never seen a Key Lime pie version like the one you posted so I've printed it out to try. Thanks so much!

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top