This pie features a winning southern influence, with purchased peach ice cream and a pecan-caramel combination that’s reminiscent of Louisiana pecan pralines. 12 servings
Crust
2½ cups finely ground or crushed pecan shortbread cookies (such as pecan Sandies; about 11 ounces)
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Caramel Sauce
2 cups sugar
½ cup water
1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pie
2 quarts peach ice cream, slightly softened, divided
1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely chopped
1 cup (about) pecan halves, toasted
CRUST: Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter in medium bowl until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until crust is set and pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.
CARAMEL SAUCE: Combine sugar and ½ cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Gradually add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir over low heat until any caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in vanilla. Let stand until caramel sauce is cool but still pourable, about 1 hour.
PIE: Drizzle ¼ cup cooled caramel sauce over bottom of crust. Freeze until caramel sets, about 10 minutes. Spread 1 quart ice cream over caramel in crust. Sprinkle chopped pecans over. Drizzle ½ cup caramel sauce over ice cream. Freeze until caramel sets, about 10 minutes. Spread remaining 1 quart ice cream over. Freeze until top of pie is firm, about 1 hour. Arrange pecan halves in 3 concentric circles on top of pie. Drizzle ¼ cup caramel sauce over. Freeze pie until frozen, at least 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover tightly with foil; keep frozen. Cover and chill remaining caramel sauce.
Rewarm remaining caramel sauce over low heat, stirring often. Let pie stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen pie. Remove pan sides. Serve pie with warm caramel sauce.
It doesn’t get much better than a sweet-tart lemon meringue pie. That is, unless you add a crunchy pecan crust and two layers of creamy vanilla ice cream. Incredible. You can also make this beautiful pie in a tart pan, if you prefer. Just be sure to place the tart pan on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven; this will catch any butter that might seep from the crust. 8 servings
Lemon Curd
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peelPinch of salt
Crust
1½ cups finely chopped pecans
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, divided
Meringue
4 large egg whites, room temperaturePinch of cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
LEMON CURD: Whisk eggs and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Melt butter in medium metal bowl set over large saucepan of simmering water. Whisk in sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt; gradually whisk in egg mixture. Whisk until curd is thick and thermometer inserted into center registers 178°F to 180°F, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of curd; chill 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
CRUST: Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix pecans, sugar, and melted butter in medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press pecan mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish (mixture will be crumbly). Bake until crust is lightly toasted, about 12 minutes (crust will slip down sides of dish). Use back of spoon to press crust back into place. Cool crust on rack. Freeze crust 30 minutes.
Spoon 1½ cups ice cream into crust; spread to even layer. Spread lemon curd over ice cream; freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Spoon remaining 1½ cups ice cream over lemon curd; spread to even layer. Cover and freeze pie until firm, about 2 hours.
MERINGUE: Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until frothy. Beat in cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Spoon meringue over pie, spreading to seal at edges and swirling decoratively. Freeze pie 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep frozen.
Using kitchen torch, toast meringue until golden in spots or place pie in a preheated 500°F oven until meringue is golden in spots, watching closely to avoid burning, about 3 minutes. Cut pie into wedges; serve immediately.
Sweetened cream of coconut, which is available in the liquor or mixers section of most supermarkets, gives this icebox pie an intense coconut flavor. The filling is simply frozen in a mixing bowl for a few hours before being spooned into the crust, so the recipe doesn’t require an ice-cream maker. 8 servings
Crust
1 cup (packed) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg white
Filling
1 15-ounce can sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Reál or Coco López), divided
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon coconut extract
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1 pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
¼ cup apricot preserves, stirred to loosen
CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend toasted coconut, graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and egg white in processor until sticky crumbs form. Press crumbs onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter metal pie pan. Freeze 10 minutes.
Bake crust until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool crust to room temperature, then freeze.
FILLING: Whisk 1 cup cream of coconut, egg yolks, and lemon juice in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk constantly until thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until cool and thick, about 5 minutes.