North Carolina Citrus Pie Food

NORTH CAROLINA LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease (or spray) a 9" glass pie plate.
• Combine the saltines and salt in a food processor and pulse to coarse crumbs, about 15 pulses. Add the melted butter and corn syrup and pulse about 15 more times, until the crumbs are broken down into oatmeal-sized pieces.
• Pour the saltine mixture into the prepared pie plate. Using the bottom of a dry measuring 1/2 cup, press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom and sides of the plate, using your fingers to keep the crumbs in as you're pressing the crumbs. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until light golden brown, 17 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Filling: While the crust bakes, whisk the condensed milk, egg yolks, cream, lemon zest and salt into a medium bowl until fully combined. Whisk in the lemon juice (it will thicken a bit at this point) until fully combined.
• Keep the pie crust on the baking sheet and pour the filling into the crust (crust doesn't need to be cool).
• Bake the pie (still at 350°) until edges are beginning to set but the center still jiggles just a bit when shaken, 15 to 17 minutes. It will firm up a little after it's taken from the oven and cooling. Cool completely on a wire rack, then place in the refrigerator until fully chilled, about 3-4 hours.
• Topping: In a medium bowl (or stand mixer), whisk and whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla on medium-low speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 1-2 minutes. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the top of the pie. Garnish with thin lemon slices if desired.

FLORIDA CITRUS PIE

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely chop nuts in processor. Add ground cookies, sugar and butter and blend in using on/off turns until moist crumbs form. Press mixture firmly onto bottom and sides of 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie dish. Bake crust until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool.
• For Filling:
• Boil grapefruit juice and 1/4 cup sugar in heavy medium saucepan over high heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over lime juice and let stand 10 minutes. Add gelatin mixture, white chocolate and 1/4 cup cream to grapefruit mixture and whisk over low heat until white chocolate and gelatin melt and mixture is smooth. Pour into large bowl. Refrigerate until cool but not set, whisking occasionally and scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula, about 2 hours.
• Beat cream and sugar to stiff peaks. Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe 15 rosettes of cream around edge of pie. Place 1 lime slice rounded side up between each rosette. Fill center with chocolate curls if desired. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate.)

ATLANTIC BEACH PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Using a food processor or your hands, pulse or crush the crackers finely (stop before all the crackers turn to dust; it's O.K. if you have some little pieces). Add sugar, then butter.
• Pulse to combine or work the butter in with your hands until the crumbs hold together like dough. Press into and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Freeze for 15 minutes, then bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the crust gets a little color.
• Make the filling: While the crust is cooling (it doesn't need to be cold), in a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks into condensed milk, then whisk in the lemon or lime juice (or both), and salt, making sure to combine them completely.
• Pour into the shell, and bake for 14 to 16 minutes until the filling has set. Refrigerate until completely cold, 4 hours up to overnight. Serve with fresh whipped cream, lemon or lime zest and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, if desired.

CRANBERRY CHERRY PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in pie filling and cranberries. Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim to 1 in. beyond edge of plate. Pour filling into crust. , Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Cut slits in pastry or cut out stars with a star-shaped cookie cutter. Place pastry over filling; trim, seal and flute edges. Arrange star cutouts on pastry. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar., Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 375°for 55-60 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.