Recipe - Sour Orange Pie | Distant Shores Sailing Newsletters

Recipe - Sour Orange Pie



SourOrange800 (copy)
Sour Orange Pie (left) with graham cracker crust and (right) with an Oreo cookie pie crust.

Sour Orange Pie is a refreshing twist on Key Lime Pie and it is just as easy to make.

Sour oranges look like small regular oranges but are bitter. They are used in cooking due to the intense flavour and aroma of the essential oils. They are also used in perfume. You can find them fresh in semi-tropical and tropical regions such as Florida, the Bahamas and Caribbean. The juice is also available bottled in the same way that lemon and lime juice is and this is what I use on the boat when I can't find fresh sour oranges.

A graham pie crust is used just as in Key Lime Pie but a delicious alternative is an Oreo cookie chocolate pie crust, so tasty with the orange flavour! I have found both graham cracker pie shells and Oreo cookie pie shells pre-made in the baking sections of some of the smallest grocery stores in the Bahamas and Caribbean.

Sour Orange Pie
Ingredients
9” graham cracker pie shell or Oreo cookie pie shell
14 oz. (395 g) can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks (Can save whites to make meringue topping if desired. Recipe follows.)
½ cup (125 ml) bottled sour orange juice or juice of 6-8 fresh squeezed sour oranges *

* Alternative 1: If you don't have access to sour oranges or bottled sour orange juice combine 1/3 cup regular orange juice (1-2 oranges) plus 1/3 cups lemon juice (2 lemons) with 1/8 cup of sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes reducing liquid to ½ cup. This thickens the juice creating a more intense flavour. Cool.

* Alternative 2: You can also substitute ½ cup lime juice for sour orange juice to make Key Lime Pie.

Method
Combine sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and sour orange juice blending until smooth.

Pour filling into cool pie shell. Cover with meringue topping if desired. Recipe follows.

Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 12-15 minutes or until mixture sets.

Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating.

Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream (if not using meringue, see recipe below) and/or garnish with orange slices. (I use canned mandarin orange slices in a pinch as pictured above.)

Meringue Topping
If you prefer a meringue topping, beat 2 large egg whites until frothy. Gradually beat in ¼ cup (50 g) of sugar until stiff.

Spread over pie filling sealing to edge of crust.

Bake as above or until meringue is golden.

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