CINCO DE MAYO // FROZEN MARGARITA PIE

ph: slw

What's better than a boozy, refreshing no bake Frozen Margarita Pie with pretzel crust for Cinco de Mayo? Nada! Try this fairly easy recipe for a perfectly balanced sweet, tart and salty dessert. I happen to make mine gluten-free with Glutino pretzels and Kinnikinnick graham cracker crumbs for the crust but use whatever you like. 

Frozen Margarita Pie
Crust: 
2 cups of pretzel sticks
2 sheets of graham crackers (4 squares)
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp kosher salt

Filling:
1 cup lime juice (about 7-8 depending on size)
2 Tbsp lime zest
6 egg yolks (2 egg whites will be used for meringue)
1 1/2 tbsp arrowroot
1 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temp
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup tequila
3/4 cup half-n-half

Meringue topping:
2 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp zest of lemon

1. For the crust: Line a 10-inch pie pan with parchment paper (leave some parchment paper hanging off the sides for easy removal). Set aside.
2. Place the pretzels and salt in a food processor. Process until they resemble bread crumbs. Pour the melted butter, and using a spoon or your hand, mix the butter in thoroughly. Press these crumbs into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan. Freeze the crust in the freezer until completely hardened.
3. For the filling: Place the lime, zest, egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt in a saucepan. Whisk to combine. Heat over medium heat while whisking continuously until the butter melts. Change over to a spatula and stir continuously to prevent the mix from curdling/scrambling. Heat the mixture further until it thickens and coats the back of the spatula. Make sure to stir at the edges of the saucepan as well, so that the lime curd doesn’t catch the bottom. This should take no more than 10 minutes.
4. Cover the lime curd with plastic wrap (with the surface touching the plastic wrap), and let it cool down completely. Once cooled, remove the plastic wrap and stir in tequila and half and half. Refrigerate the mix to chill.
5. Once the crust is frozen, pour the chilled margarita filling on top. Return to the freezer to let it completely harden (preferably overnight).
6. When the frozen margarita pie has completely hardened, you can prepare the meringue. 
7. For the Meringue: Place the egg whites, sugar and salt in a clean and dry (preferably metal) bowl. Bring some water to a simmer in a saucepan, and then place the metal bowl with the egg whites, over the simmering water. Whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved in the egg whites. Be careful not to let the water contaminate the egg whites.
8. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, remove the bowl from the simmering water and using your hand mixer, whisk on high until you have thick glossy meringue with stiff peaks. Stir in lime zest. Use immediately.
9. Top the margarita filling with the meringue, creating swirls and peaks with the back of a spoon. The margarita pie can now be stored in the freezer for a few hours with the meringue topping.
10. Using a blow torch, caramelize the meringue just before serving. Slice the frozen margarita pie into slices (use a warm knife for clean, neat cuts).