Key lime pie and dancing naked under a full moon.

I made my key lime pie yesterday, delicious it was too, made from from Hairy Bikers recipe which you can find below.
My friends ate half and left me with the other half in the fridge. Shame, I will have to eat it all. One slice gone with lunch. I also made 4 litres of elderflower cordial yesterday afternoon too, will bottle it tomorrow.

Finally a day free of rain! I was out at the first sociable hour, cutting the front and back lawn. I planted up some iris that my mum brought over yesterday and some marigolds that I grew to help out the tomatoes. I don't think any insect would bother with the toms quite honestly, they are a bit sad looking. I am hoping that the sheer numbers of plants I have will at least provide some sort of crop, even if each plant doesn't produce much.

All my roses are now covered in buds, can't wait to see them come out. The climber is my personal favourite and personal triumph considering it is on a North facing wall. research does pay off!

Had a chat with my neighbour this morning, he asked me how my time was in Guernsey. I had to wonder how he knows so much about me considering that I have never offered the information that I even went to Guernsey at all. I wonder what else he knows or thinks he knows about me and where his source of information is coming from? The other day the gardener chap that I have coming to do some work for me later this summer knew what I did for a living and even the names of the operas I was in this year - more information I have never given (especially since I had never spoken with him before in my life). It made me chuckle. It's to be hoped I never decide to take up witch craft and dancing naked under a full moon, although it might be fun to try, see what they make of that.


Key Lime Pie


(I used the cheapest value digestive biscuits I could get which were about 39p and I didn't bother with cream of tartar because I didn't have any, also vanilla essence has always done me rather than vanilla extract, makes the whole thing very cheap to make)

Ingredients

For the base

• 175g/6oz digestive biscuits 
• 80g/3oz butter
• 50g/2oz caster sugar

For the filling

• 3 large free-range eggs, separated
• 2 limes, finely grated zest
• 125ml/4½fl oz lime juice
• 210ml/7½fl oz condensed milk
• 80g/3oz caster sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• ½ tsp cream of tartar

Preparation method

1.     Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2.     For the pastry base, finely crush the biscuits by placing into a plastic bag and bashing with a rolling pin (alternatively, pulse to crumbs using a food processor). Transfer to a mixing bowl.

3.     Melt the butter in a saucepan, then pour over the biscuit crumbs. Add the sugar, then mix well to combine. Evenly spread the biscuit mixture in a 23cm/9in pie case, making sure to cover the sides of the tin as well. Level off any excess biscuit mixture.

4.     For the filling, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice and condensed milk until smooth and creamy, then mix into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the mixture into the pie case.

5.     In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Gradually fold in the sugar, vanilla extract, salt and cream of tartar, then whisk again until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue mixture over the filling in the pie case, using a fork to form the meringue into peaks.

6.     Bake the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place into the fridge to chill completely before serving.

7.     To serve, cut slices of the key lime pie and serve with a scattering of blueberries and a few spoonfuls of whipped cream.