Orange Cream Pie — Recipe Fail

This isn’t some account of a hilarious set of circumstances that resulted in my recipe not working out. It just didn’t work out like I wanted. And because it’s the first recipe fail on the new twimii, I thought I’d share it.

My best and easiest Hallowe’en recipe is the mini key lime pies. It’s so easy and quick to make, that I thought why not make a different version of that? I was thinking of making a lemon version — a sort of alternative Lemon Meringue Pie.

But then I found out that Key Lime Pie is actual the lime version of the original Florida Sour Orange Pie.

So, I just now read through the authentic recipe for sour orange pie, and I see where I went wrong.

So you did, in fact, mess up the recipe?

Well, technically I didn’t read the recipe. I assumed it was the same as a Key Lime Pie but just with sour oranges rather than limes. But the topping on a Sour Orange Pie is meringue, not cream.

Isn’t the topping on some Key Lime Pies meringue?

Maybe. But mine is sweetened cream. And it works perfectly.

What’s wrong with this Orange Cream Pie?

It’s too sweet and it’s too creamy. This is maybe because I didn’t have sour oranges so I used the juice of 3 lemons and 1 orange with the zest of 2 oranges. You might think this would be sour enough, but it’s actually way more mellow than the lime filling. The orange cream itself was lovely, in fairness. But in combination with the cream topping it was just way too much creaminess. And the biscuit base, which works well with lots of things, was cloyingly sweet here.

Also, scattering fresh orange slices through a cream filling isn’t the best idea either. Because, if you’re like me, you’ll be too tempted to bite into the orange slices, rather than remove them. And that will leave a bitter, as opposed to sour, taste in your mouth.

Yes, I knew this would be the outcome before eating them. Yes, I did it a few times…

If you like the idea though of removing the sweetened cream topping and topping the orange filling with candied orange slices, and maybe adding a tablespoon — or maybe just a half tablespoon — of cocoa powder to the biscuit base, I think that could maybe work out very well? Maybe even add a dash of chili or Cayenne pepper into the biscuit base? Maybe?

I’m probably not going to try that. I’m more likely to try making an Orange Meringue Pie as I do love love love the lemon one.

But a spicy chocolate biscuit base paired with the orange cream filling does sound intriguing… I still don’t fully trust myself with boiling sugar, so I probably won’t attempt the candied orange slices though. Why don’t you? It could be lovely.

Anyway, this is the first — of presumably of many — recipes fails in Bits & Pieces.