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Frozen Margarita Pie

If you want to wow your guests at your next Mexican fiesta, make this dessert. Period. This lime confection is a cross between an ice cream and a pie, and the pretzel crust adds just the right amount of saltiness to make it fun and totally unforgettable.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 12

Ingredients

CRUST

1 1/2 cups whole grain pretzel sticks
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup light agave nectar

FILLING

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
1/2 cup light agave nectar
Freshly grated zest of 1 lime
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 large limes)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
2 tablespoons good quality, preferably aged, tequila
1 tablespoon Cointreau or Triple Sec
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
Agave Nectar Whipped Cream (page 113)
Lime slices, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan with canola oil spray.

    Step 2

    To prepare the crust, grind the pretzels to a fine meal in a food processor. Add the butter and agave nectar and pulse to combine. Press into the prepared pie pan to form the crust. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges turn slightly golden. Cool before filling.

    Step 3

    To make the filling, first prepare an ice water bath. Then make a slurry by mixing 2 tablespoons of the evaporated skim milk and the arrowroot powder together. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining evaporated milk and the agave nectar until the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Whisk the arrowroot slurry into the saucepan. Stirring constantly, let the mixture thicken slightly. Remove from the heat and place the saucepan in the ice water bath to cool down quickly, whisking often.

    Step 4

    Pour the cooled filling mixture into a large bowl and add the lime zest, lime juice, orange juice, tequila, Cointreau, and vanilla extract. Whisk together well. Place in the refrigerator to cool about 30 minutes, or until semifirm.

    Step 5

    Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cooled lime mixture. Spoon the filling into the pie crust and freeze for about 4 hours, or until firm. To serve, let the pie defrost for about 10 minutes before slicing. Top the pie with lots of whipped cream and garnish with lime slices.

Reprinted with permission from Baking with Agave Nectar: Over 100 Recipes Using Nature's Ultimate Sweetener by Ania Catalano. Copyright © 2008 by Ania Catalano; photography © 2008 by Lara Hata. Published by Celestial Arts, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. Ania Catalano is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet School of Cooking in New York and the owner of the Gourmet Whole Foods Catering and Cooking School in Milford, Connecticut.
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