This is a pie to die for - it is utterly, exquisitely, eye-rollingly delicious. The crust needs a little work - it is a pecan, shortbread crust that is pretty damn good but I would like it to be a little crisper - a little more cookie-like, so that the juxtaposition between the crisp base and the soft filling create a kind of edible symphony! I achieved this one time but didn't make a note of the proportions I used. Grrr. The lovely orange flavors ring through more clearly than with a sweet orange and the rind colors it as well. One time I tried to intensify the color of the filling using prickly pear juice - I forgot that purple + white (milk) = pink and I ended up with the most disgusting looking pie in the world - the color of pepto-bismol. We ate that one with our eyes closed.
Ingredients for one 9-10" pie
The Pecan Shortcrust Base
6 oz flour
4 oz ground pecans (or chopped and toasted if you want a crunchy base)
5 oz brown sugar
6 oz cold unsalted butter
Turn the oven to 300 degrees
~Process the flour and butter lightly (or cut then rub the butter into the flour)
~Fold in brown sugar and the nuts~Add a little ice water to make it stick together~Pat into a buttered/floured pan. Use the bottom of a flat glass to flatten it gently.
~Bake for 45 mins or until light brown and smelling heavenly.
Set aside to cool for an hour or two. This helps with the final texture of the base – if you add the filling when it's still warm the base will be softer.
While you are waiting for it to cool you can separate the egg yolks from the whites and make a batch of Pecan Meringue Kisses!
Quicker, Easier Crust
2/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup ground almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick butter
pinch salt
Throw everything into a bowl and microwave on high for 30-45 minutes (until the butter is soft/melting). Beat it all until well mixed. Press into a 10" pan and prick with a fork.
Bake at 300 degrees for 45-55 minutes - until golden brown. Cool completely.
Quickest Crust of All
Of course you can use a pre-fabricated Graham Pie Crust and I often do ... they are just fine. I also squeeze a ton of oranges at once and freeze them in one cup batches so I can whip up a quick pie at a moments notice in a few quick minutes!!!
The Sour Orange Filling
5 large egg yolks
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of sour orange juice
grated rind of 2 oranges or lemons
Turn the oven to 350 degreesBlend all ingredients for 20 seconds or whisk like crazy for a good minute.Pour into the cake pan and bake for 25-30 mins (to set the pie and kill the salmonella!)
If you add more juice it will need to be cooked a bit longer.
When it puffs up just a little and bubbles start forming it is done.Finishing TouchesTop it with some berries - in an untidy, uneven pile, or arranged carefully around the edge so every slice gets one (or more!)
A sprinkling of flowers from the garden are lovely
A mandala of small edible leaves (mint, lemon balm or cranberry hibiscus are perfect)!
Eat It!This pie is delectable warm, delicious cold, even better the next day.
Serve it with cream and/or a raspberry coulis (fresh raspberry sauce), or chopped strawberries.It lasts a good week in the fridge (not mine!) but remember that the crust becomes softer over time.
Working Notes!
If you prefer your pies more tart than sweet then add the juice of one lemon to ‘brighten’ it.
There’s no way around the tin of condensed milk – it’s a strange ingredient for a whole food nut but it works like nothing else.
Switch out the pecans for walnuts or hazelnuts.
The rind adds color and deepens the orange flavors in the tart. You can omit it if you like or replace the orange with lemon rind.
If you use lemon juice or rind try a Meyer’s lemon (my personal favorite) which has a slight tangerine tang to it.
Use a 'rasp' to grate the rind - it's super quick and easy and you only get the aromatic outside i.e. none of the white at all.
Update - A Happy Accident
We went to Sabina and Zeeb's beautiful new house for dinner tonight and they made a yummy fondue. I took a sour orange pie for desert but forgot to separate the eggs - I just threw 5 whole eggs into the blender and whizzed them with a cup of sour orange juice, some meyers' lemon juice and a can of sweetened condensed milk. I had to bake it for longer to set it (about 45 minutes). Instead of the thin dense pie the whole eggs made a lighter, slightly custardy tart. It was absolutely delicious. Maybe more so ...
Perfection
I never make my own crust any more - the ready bought organic graham crusts are the best. I use 3 egg yolks and 3 whole eggs with 1 can of sweetened, condensed milk, 1 cup of sour orange juice, the juice of a lemon topped up to 1/3 of a cup with sour orange juice, the grated rind of 2 tangerines. This makes 2 pies to die for.
Baked at 350 for 20-25 minutes they are perfection warm.
Use a pan with a removable side if you make your own crust – we Brits call these spring-form – I’m not sure what they are called in the US.
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