Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [401]
Pour into a 9-inch pie plate and press across the bottom and up the sides to form an even crust, level with the rim. Place in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the lime juice and rum in a large bowl; set aside to soften for 10 minutes.
Place the almond syrup in a medium saucepan and set it over medium heat until barely simmering. Set aside off the heat for 5 minutes, then stir the almond syrup into the gelatin mixture and any liquid left in the large bowl until dissolved. Stir in the orange segments and place in the refrigerator until the mixture starts to set, about 30 minutes.
Bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler or in a medium saucepan set over high heat; reduce the heat so the water is simmering gently. Place the egg whites and the remaining ¾ cup sugar in the top half of a stainless steel double boiler or in a medium bowl that will fit snugly over the pan. Beat away from the heat with an electric mixer at medium speed until foamy.
Place over the simmering water and continue beating at medium speed, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula, until shiny, smooth, and thick, about 3 minutes. (Be very careful of electric cords around heating elements.)
Remove the top half of the double boiler or the bowl from the heat—be careful of escaping steam—add the salt and continue beating until room temperature, about 4 minutes.
Use a rubber spatula to fold this cooked meringue into the cool, thickening orange-segment mixture. Return the bowl to the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Clean and dry the mixer’s beaters. Beat the cream in a chilled bowl until doubled in volume and firm but not yet dry and buttery. Fold into the orange-almond mixture until no white streaks are visible, then mound into the prepared pie shell. Freeze until firm, for at least 4 hours, overnight, or up to 7 days. Once firm, sprinkle the coconut over the top of the pie.
To store: The pie can be covered and kept in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
To serve: Let the pie stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then slice as desired.
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Premade Frozen Crusts
If you remain crust-reticent and prefer only to use purchased frozen crusts, here are a few recommendations. Buy frozen deep-dish crusts; others may be too skimpy for a 9-inch pie. Although the directions say to use them frozen, they bake better if you let them sit out on the counter for 10 minutes. And look for crusts that use butter or trans-fat–free shortening instead of lard or hydrogenated fats.
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The Ragtag Ends of Crust
After you’ve made a piecrust, you often have leftover bits of trimmed ends. Flatten them against your work surface, dust them with granulated sugar and a little ground cinnamon, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven until crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes, then dole them out to little hands that may not be able to wait for the pie to be baked.
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Tarts
American pies come from a long tradition of Continental tarts. Ours were developed for a 10-inch tart shell with a removable bottom; look for this specialty pan in bakeware stores and from suppliers on the Web.
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Sweet Pastry Dough
All tarts start with this classic dough, also called pâte brisée (pronounced “PAHT bree-ZAY”). It’s light, firm, crunchy, and very buttery. You’ll need ceramic pie weights or dried beans to weight the crust as it bakes. Makes one 10-inch pastry crust for tarts
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 large egg yolk,