Six years ago was when I first saw the recipe for Bill Smith's Atlantic Beach Pie. For some reason I resisted making the recipe as I thought it couldn't possibly hold up to its' hype. Every now and then I would see Instagram posts of the pie. As if it were stalking me, teasing me to reconsider the error of my way. And honestly, I was enticed to make it on more than one occasion, but I remained steadfast in my 'no, no, not going to make it' position. This week I discovered the uncharacteristically 'dig my heels in' stubbornness caused me to waste six years of my life. Yes, I had denied myself the experience and pleasure of relishing a pie made with a buttery, sandy, salty crust; a citrusy lemon-lime custard filling; and, a cool creamy freshly whipped cream topping. Nothing short of pure summer pie perfection. This relatively simple pie, one with having a sweet-tart-salty kind of complexity to it, is one no one should wait six years, six months, or even six days to make. Take it from me. Do not deny yourself this kind of satisfying deliciousness. The Atlantic Beach (Lemon-Lime) Pie is worthy of all the hype, accolades, and adulation it has received and will undoubtedly continue to receive for the unforeseeable future. No dessert may be more gratifying on a hot summer day than this pie.
Just in case you have missed the back story behind chef Bill Smith's Atlantic Beach Pie recipe, here's the Reader's Digest version. He grew up along the sea coast of North Carolina being told if you had dessert after a fish dinner it may be the very last thing you ever ate. But a lemony dessert was the one exception to this strange folklore. Which explains, in part, how Atlantic Beach Lemon Pies became the only dessert offered in seafood restaurants in North Carolina way back in the 1960s. When asked to teach some fellow chefs traditional North Carolina recipes, Bill Smith did some research and created his version of an Atlantic Beach Pie. Replacing the original meringue topping with whipped cream and adding a sprinkling of sea salt, his restaurant in Chapel Hill ran out of his version of the pie on a daily basis. Somehow the local popularity of this pie caught the attention of NPR. After he appeared on a segment of "All Things Considered", well, the pie was soon being touted and made by a multitude of foodbloggers. Now years later, this pie continues to live on. Being socially unacceptably late to the Atlantic Beach Pie making and eating party isn't a good enough reason not make it. Time to pull up my big girl panties and admit I was wrong about this pie. And boy, was I wrong! So here's my way of offering a kind of apology to the Atlantic Beach Pie. In comes in the form of perpetuating the popularity of this pie by sharing my ever so slightly tweaked version. Apologies aside, I hope to convince you that you absolutely NEED, MUST HAVE this pie in your life. That is, if you want to life your best life!
There is enough Saltine cracker crumbs and butter in the crust to make this pie in a 9" (rather than an 8") pie or tart pan. Because a 9" pie is large enough to serve 8 to 10 people, depending on how you slice it.
Saltine crackers create a much lighter, but insanely tasty pie crust. Crushed Saltines, some granulated sugar, and unsalted butter all gets blended together in a food processor. The key to creating a great, textured Saltine cracker crust is to not let the crackers get pulverized to dust. After pressing the crust mixture into a 9" pie plate, it goes into the freezer for 15-20 minutes to ensure the crust holds its shape when baked.
While the crust is pre-baking in the oven for 18-20 minutes (or until it starts to take on a golden hue), the ingredients for the filling are whisked together. Eggs and sweetened condensed milk are blended together first. Followed by the freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices, a pinch of sea salt, and some zest. The thoroughly blended filling gets poured into the slightly warm crust and bakes for 16 minutes. Which is the amount of time needed for the filling to set up.
Once the baked pie cools, it is wrapped and refrigerated overnight. The pie needs to be well chilled before being sliced. So make the Atlantic Beach (Lemon-Lime) Pie (sans the Whipped Cream Topping) the night before you plan on serving it. Immediately before or up to several hours before it's served, whip up some heavy whipping cream with confectionary sugar and a pinch of Kosher salt. Overall, this is one of those easy-peasy, almost effortless desserts.
The Atlantic Beach (Lemon-Lime) Pie has been described as a cross between a Key Lime Pie and Lemon Meringue Pie. Or in other words, it's the best of both of those pie worlds.
In all seriousness, this may be one of the most refreshing pies you have ever tasted. One always worth saving room for at the end of a meal (even if it's not fish or seafood) and one definitely worthy of turning the oven on for. Even if it's a sweltering hot, humid day. If you are a fan of citrusy desserts, you will be instantly smitten with this Atlantic Beach (Lemon-Lime) Pie in the first bite.
If these last four months of living in this new altered state have (re) taught me anything, it's that you never know just how much you are missing out on when you dig your heels in. I still can't believe it took me this long to see the error in my thinking about this Atlantic Beach (Lemon-Lime) Pie. Having now had a taste of this sweet-salty-tart summer time perfection, I feel like my life is now a little more complete. So have you been convinced to make it? I certainly hope so!
Atlantic Beach (Lemon-Lime) Pie (inspired by Bill Smith's Atlantic Beach Pie recipe)
Serves 8-10, depending on how you slice it
Ingredients
Crust
60 Saltine cracker squares (200g)
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
10 Tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, room temperature
Pie
4 large egg yolks
14 ounce (396 g) can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice (preferably equal parts of each but at least a 2/3 lemon and 1/2 lime mixture)
Pinch of sea salt
About a teaspoon of zest from a lime and lemon
Flaky sea salt for finishing
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 Tablespoons confectionary sugar
Pinch of Kosher salt
More zest for garnish (optional)
Directions
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. In the bowl of a large food processor, crust the crackers to an almost fine (not dust) consistency. Add in the sugar, pulse to combine. Add in the butter and process until the butter is blended in.
3. Press the crust into a 9" pie pan (use metal if you have one). Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Set the pie plate/tin on a baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes our until the crust begins to turn golden.
5. Remove from oven and set on a cooling rack. Now make the filling.
Pie
1. In a medium size bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Then whisk in the freshly squeezed juice, pinch of sea salt, and zest until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
2. Pour the pie filling into the slightly warm pie crust. Lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
3. Bake the pie for 16 minutes (the filling should set in that amount of time).
4. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Note: The pie needs to be completely chilled before slicing.
5. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy whipping cream, confectionary sugar, and pinch of Kosher salt until stable peaks form.
6. Either dollop and spread the whipping cream on top of the chilled pie or put the whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with your favorite tip(s) and pipe onto the pie. Lightly sprinkle with some lemon and/or lime zest, if using.
7. Slice, serve, savor, and swoon.
Notes: (1) For 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon-lime juice, you will need 1 large lemon and 3 limes. Alternately you could also use 1 1/2 lemons and 2 limes for a filling with a slightly more lemony flavor. (2) For a more stable whipped cream add three ounces of room temperature cream cheese into the whipped cream. (3) Some suggest serving the whipped cream on the side versus spreading it over the top of the pie. You decide what works for you. You can guess how I like to serve it.
Early morning in Key West, Florida (August 2018)
