Meringue crust? Yes! It's much lower carb than nut flours or any other low carb crust you can make. The meringue has a wonderful texture, especially with the macadamia nuts, and is the perfect backdrop for the tangy, but creamy key lime filling. You will need to make this a day ahead, but it's totally worth it!
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Instructions
Meringue crust
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Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Generously grease a 9" (23 cm) pie pan.
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Whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt with a hand mixer until frothy.
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Whip in the powdered sweetener and vanilla extract until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold in the macadamia nuts.
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Carefully spoon the whipped meringue into the pie pan. Be sure to push the meringue gently up the sides of the pan, creating a crust with the meringue.
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Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned and set. Set aside to cool.
Key lime filling
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Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the powdered sweetener, Key lime juice, and lime zest. When the sweetener is dissolved, whisk in the egg yolks.
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Keep the heat low and whisk constantly until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve to remove the zest. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 hour.
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In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the heavy cream. As it begins to thicken, add the vanilla extract and continue whipping until the mixture is thick and creamy.
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Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the chilled lime juice mixture so that the filling remains fluffy.
Filling, chill and garnish
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Use a spatula to fill the crust with the filling and smooth the filling edge to edge.
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Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
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Garnish with lime slices, lime zest, and/or additional whipped cream, if desired.
Important!
You will need to make this a day ahead of time as the crust must cool before filling and the key lime filling needs time to set.
Kristie's tip
Line the pan with parchment paper before baking the pie crust if you want to easily lift if from the pan. The crust may stick if you don't let the pie chill overnight.
