I once won a pie contest at the Great Falls SuperFarmer, and then the next year again, and then again. I think it’s tradition now.
Here’s my secret…
Everyone this time of year is obsessed with fall flavors - pumpkin, apple, cinnamon, nutmeg - you know… it tastes… cozy, I guess.
So I like to surprise with key lime pie - cool, tart, and not too sweet.
It’s served me well, and several people who claim they “do not like key lime pie” have said “but I really like this one.” So that must count for something.
The recipe I use literally calls it a “Prize Winning Key Lime Pie” and it has served me well in the last four pie contests I’ve entered. It rightfully has earned its name.
Here are the modifications I make:
For the crust, I use Trader Joe’s Cinnamon Sugar graham crackers and forgo the additional sugar
I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream… simply just because of personal preference.
I keep out the lime zest. Eh, I just don’t like it.
I sweeten my whipped cream with pure maple syrup instead of powdered sugar for a subtle sweetness.
I use a tart pan rather than a pie plate, and I think the thinner pie serves me well. You don’t want a lot of this pie… it would be too overpowering. You just need a few bites.
But like everyone else… I love a good traditional pie as well.
My family has a Thanksgiving Day tradition where we eat the pies first because everyone knows you don’t feel like eating pie after the big feast. We end up with a large assortment of apple, chess, pecan, pumpkin, chocolate, pies...
Here’s my favorite pie crust, taken from the beloved Mr. Mark Bittman’s book, How to Cook Everything.
1 c + 2 T flour
1/2 t salt
2 T sugar
1 stick cold butter (cut into smaller pieces, also use grass-fed butter bc it tastes yummy)
3 T ice water
1 egg yolk
throw dry ingredients in a food processor
add cold, cold, cold butter and pulse until the mixture has a thick sand texture
add ice water and egg yolk and pulse a few times until the dough is a ball
wrap in plastic wrap and form a disk - refrigerate for 30ish minutes/a day
proceed with recipe :)
Honestly… I would 1.5x this recipe for a normal pie because I love to have extra crust on the edges so that I can make it ~pretty~
My personal favorite pie is a peach pie. This is my favorite. You must have good peaches, so it’s best to wait until summer to make it.
This apple pie has also served me well… tied for second place at the 2023 Great Falls SuperFarmer. I think the marinated apples really made a world of difference.
Here’s to you, friends, and all your pie adventures. I wish you all the best :)