Blue Ribbon Kitchen: Individual Margarita Key Lime Pies: The MOVIE

I know someone who won't be needing an
Academy Award acceptance speech...

Making movies is not as easy as it looks.

Making cute recipe videos is also not as easy as one might think...

I found that out --first hand.

Hats off to all those Hollywood directors and sound mixers...

your careers are safe from this Midwestern blogger.
(at least for the foreseeable future)

Have you seen those snazzy food videos on Facebook??

I am absolutely captivated...
for 30 seconds they have my full undivided attention.

If you have not yet seen one...
Let me set the stage:

A set of mystery chef hands...
quite possibly a hand model,

whips up a delicious looking recipe....

The video shows a person make an entire cake,
or pie, or roast in 30-45 seconds...
highlighting the important steps...
There is no mess... no dirty dishes..
no fumbling about,
no opening packages or chopping
celery...they get straight to the point.

The whole recipe is condensed into
easy to follow visuals...
beautifully lit...pretty food shots...

all the while

super cheerful music plays in a background...

and me, the viewer...

I'm left thinking...
"Wow... I am going to make that recipe!!"

If they can do it in 30 seconds...
what will that be in real time for me... probably
5 maybe 10 minutes... right??

I do believe however, I may be their target audience...

so...
(begin adventure)

I told myself

"Hey...I can make one of those videos too!! Why not??!!"

And yes,...
I probably can, eventually, someday make a recipe video...like a pro..

That day is not today...

sigh...

... there is a huge learning curve...

huge...very, very large.

Here are three very valuable and
transferable lessons I learned:

1. Reading the directions is always a good idea.

Whether it's the directions to your fancy-schmancy

camera or directions to a new recipe... the fine print

offers a lot of helpful information...
Read it all, you'll be glad someday.

2. Lighting, Lighting, Lighting...

Great lighting can make all the difference in a movie, a romantic dinner,

the feel of a well designed room...or even in a perfect selfie...

If you get the lighting right and you're half-way there.

3. Shooting video outdoors for better lighting seems like a good idea...

...The mosquitoes and gnats that generally live outside, don't care very much if you are

in the middle of making a recipe video...they simply do not care...

For best results, shoot recipe videos indoors...

So... I have photos...

the old-fashioned kind.
I am a little old fashioned too... so, it works.

And.... I have a super cute way to serve up

individual servings of Margarita Key Lime Pie!!
**

I also have a new-found respect for movie makers...

and a new-found determination to make one of my own... stay tuned.

If you go the margarita glass route...skip baking the crust and the filling...
The dessert will turn out great, just be sure
that it is well chilled.

Margarita Key Lime Pie with Pretzel-Graham Crust and Candy Sea Stars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:

1 cup finely crushed graham crackers

½ cup finely crushed salted pretzels

1 tsp coarse sea salt

2 TBS granulated sugar

6 TBS melted unsalted butter

In a food processor, finely chop the graham crackers and pretzels. Add sugar and melted butter to combine. Mixture will resemble wet sand. Pour into a 9-inch pie plate. Using an empty drinking glass, lightly tamp down the crust, forming it to the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Sprinkle with sea salt. Set aside.

Filling:

(1) 8-ounce softened cream cheese

½ Cup sour cream

¾ Cup key lime juice (If using fresh key limes, consider using a clean garlic press to make quick work of the tiny key limes. Cut in half and then squeeze with press over a bowl.

(1) 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 drop of green food coloring (optional)

Directions:

In a food processor, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy with no lumps. Add in sour cream, lime juice and sweetened condensed milk. Continue to blend well until the mixture is smooth, silky and emulsified.

Pour mixture into prepared pretzel-graham crust.

Bake for 10 minutes on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. The pie will set and be less glossy after the 10 minutes.

Do not brown the top of the pie.

Chill pie well, for a least 4 hours up to overnight.

Top with fresh whipped cream and candy sea stars for garnish.

Whipped Cream

½ pint heavy whipping cream

3 TBS powdered sugar

(If you really want a margarita-esque pie, add a shot of triple sec to the cream before whipping -optional.)

On low speed of a mixer, whip cream sugar and optional alcohol if using. After it thickens a bit, mix on medium high until thick if keeps shape.

Fill a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and decorate edges of the pie.

Candy Sea Stars:

Using a candy mold (sea stars or other ocean themed shaped mold) Fill mold with melted white candy melts or almond bark. Let chill for five minutes. Once set, pop out shapes and decorate pie. (Candy sea stars are a great make ahead garnish…simply keep in and air tight container until ready to use.

Candy molds are available in craft and baking supply stores.

I purchased mine at Cincinnati Cake and Candy on Galbraith Rd in Reading, Ohio.

Candy melts and Almond bark: candy melts are available at cake supply stores and some craft stores with a baking section. Almond bark is available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.

A salty-sweet pretzel graham crust makes this pie a winner!!