Help needed for preparing tart ahead of time

[Dippster]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and need some help preparing a dessert for a family party on the 26th Dec.
I'm making a key lime pie that has a sweet pastry base rather than a biscuit base with meringue on the top of the lime filling.
I really will only have an hour on the day so am looking for any tips on what I could prepare ahead of time, preferably on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. Also how best to store it, fridge or air tight containers?

Hope there's someone who can help me.
Thanks x

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi, Dippster. Welcome to DC

I've only made Key lime pie with a Graham cracker crust (is that biscuits for you?), and have never made meringue, so I'm not sure about those; we top it with whipped cream.

You should be able to bake it the day before and do the meringue the day of, though, I think. If the filling has eggs in it, you should refrigerate it until serving.

 

[Dippster]

Thanks for your reply.
I know it's not a traditional key lime pie but it was on a tv show over here and was raved about. Here's a link to the recipe if that helps people to help me.
BBC - Food - Recipes : Key lime pie

 

[GotGarlic]

Mmm, ginger and lime. It sounds like an interesting variation

 

[dragnlaw]

Hi Dippster and Welcome

WoW! that is some recipe! You can easily make it a day or even 2 ahead. You probably should keep it in the fridge but there is nothing there to go bad after it is finished. The most that might happen is for tiny beads of browned sugar to form on the meringue and it is nothing to worry about.

Adding the boiled sugar almost sounds like a "Royal Icing" that gets hard. It has been many years since I've made that so am not positive.

My meringues are simple whipped egg whites with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Browned in the oven. (I don't have a torch). The trick with this type of meringue is to make sure you spread it to touch the edges of the crust. This 'anchors' it and keeps it from shrinking or moving.

If you have a cake/pie carrier with lid, use it, things flying thru the air will stick on your meringue,.... yech.

Love Key Lime pie, yummmmmmmm

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Like the others have said, make it ahead. Cover it if at all possible for two reasons, first, meringues like moisture. They absorb it and melt into goo. So you want to isolate the topped pie from moisture as much as possible. Second, as was stated by dragnlaw, meringues are sticky, and so need to be protected from dust, hair, etc.

I like the idea of making the pie a day or two before the 26th, and then topping with the meringue the day it's served. Bring the pie up to near room temperature to keep condensation from forming on the custard, again to avoid melting the meringue.

Good luck. I hope you tart is fabulous.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Dippster]

Thanks guys. I was worried making it ahead might make the pastry soggy. It is quite a challenging recipe for my level of cooking so anything I can do in advance will be good.
Thanks again.