Lime and Coconut Merengue Pie

Normally butter is added to the tangy merengue filling, however in this recipe I took a twist and replaced it with coconut milk for a taste of paradise!

1/2 quantity Rich Short Pastry

Lime and Coconut Curd Filling
4 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp Malibu
3/4 cup coconut water (or water)
Juice and zest of 2 limes
150ml coconut milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar

Merengue
4 egg Whites
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
1 tbsp water

Heat oven to 180c. Butter a 9 inch pie dish, roll out the pastry to 3mm thickness and line the pie dish with pastry.  Line the pastry with grease proof paper and fill with cooking beans.  Bake blind for 15 minutes then remove beans and baking paper and bake for an additional 5 minutes so that the pastry cooks and become golden.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Remove pastry from pie dish and place on a baking tray.

Prepare the filling by mixing cornflour, plain flour Malibu, coconut water, sugar, juice and grated zest of two limes in a casserole.  Put on a medium heat and whisk continuously till mixture boils and thickens.  Boil slowly for 3 minutes then add coconut milk and stir till well combined and mixture boils again.  Turn off heat and let the mixture cool for about 10minutes.  Separate the eggs then add yolks to mixture and stir well.

Whisk egg whites and water till soft peaks form, then add sugar beating continuously till sugar dissolves and merengue is silky smooth.

Add lime and coconut curd filling to pie shell, then pipe merengue over.  Bake in a 180c oven for 20 minutes till merengue turns golden.  Remove from oven then chill in refregerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Tip:  If you have extra merengue pipe on to a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a 180c oven for 10 minutes then lower the oven temperature to 150c and bake for an additonal 30 minutes.  Cover in chocolate and press over freshly shredded coconut.