Kalamansi Meringue Pie

I am lucky to have a kalamansi (or Calamansi or kumquat) tree.  It's hard to find kalamansi in stores. It's also rare to find in Asian groceries.  I've had the tree for about 10 years.  I guess I decided to get one because my parents have a few and my brother has one too.  It has always been a belief that having a round fruit tree in your front garden gives your household good luck.  It doesn't hurt to give it a try, doesn't it?

My little tree is probably about 5 feet tall but it fruits aplenty. I hope this translate to a lot of good luck for me.  I have juiced the fruit that I harvested and froze it for future use.  I am sure I will conjure up different ways on what to do with all that fruit.

With my first batch that I harvested, I decided to make a kalamansi curd.  But what to do with the curd?  Obviously, kalamansi meringue pie!  A Filipino twist to a classic English dessert.  Definitely a winner in my household.

Crust:

2 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

220g chilled unsalted butter, cubed

4-6 tbs ice water

Curd Filling:

1/2 cup kalamansi juice

100g butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 egg yolks plus 1 egg

Meringue:

2 egg whites

100g caster sugar

1. Make the crust.  Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into the food processor bowl.  Add the butter and pulse till it resembles bread crumbs.  Drizzle 4 tablespoons of the ice water and keep pulsing until the dough forms a ball.  You may need to add a little more water but do it only half a tablespoon at a time. Roll out and transfer to a tart tin with a removable bottom and trim the edges.  Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  After resting,  prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork and cover with a baking paper with weights.  Place in a preheated oven 170degC for 15 minutes.  Remove the baking paper and weights and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until golden brown.  Remove and let cool on a rack.

2.  Make the filling.  In a saucepan, over medium-low heat, place the kalamansi juice and the butter.  Stir until the butter is melted.  Add the sugar and egg and egg yolks.  Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens slightly (about 5-7minutes).  Leave to cool completely before using.

3.  Make the meringue.  In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar a spoonful at a time until stiff and glossy.

4.  To assemble.  Pour the kalamansi curd into the pastry making sure it's spread evenly then cover with the meringue.  Bake in a hot oven (200degC) for 7-10 minutes until the meringue has browned a little.  Refrigerate for half a hour before serving.

Bon Appetite,
Cherrie