This pie is a wonderfully refreshing dessert on warm, summery barbecue evenings! It’s not your normal, everyday pie. Instead, it’s a light, flavorful pie made with fresh cantaloupe and orange juice–flavored gelatin. This dessert is a real crowd-pleaser, especially after a heavy barbecue meal.
YIELD: 6–8 SERVINGS • COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES
2 Keebler Shortbread Crusts (NOT graham cracker) or you can make your own crusts (see below)
SHORTBREAD CRUST
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (85 g) confectioners’ sugar, or icing sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small chunks
FILLING
1 ripe cantaloupe (3 cups [710 ml] purée)
½ cup (120 ml) orange juice, freshly squeezed
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
¼–½ cup (48–96 g) sugar, depending on the sweetness of the cantaloupe
1 (8- or 9-oz [227- or 255-g]) container Cool Whip, in the blue container ONLY, plus more for serving
Lightly butter or spray an 8- or 9-inch (20- or 23-cm) tart or pie pan with nonstick vegetable spray.
To make the crust, in your food processor, place the flour, sugar and salt, and process to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps. Transfer the pastry to the prepared pan and evenly press it onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. To prevent the pastry crust from puffing up while it bakes, pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork.
Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. This will help prevent the crust from shrinking while it bakes.
Preheat your smoker to 425°F (218°C) with an indirect setup.
Place the pan on a larger baking sheet and bake the crust indirectly until golden brown, about 13 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. It is now ready to be filled.
To make the filling, cut the cantaloupe in half, and remove the seeds and rind. Cut off a few thin slices of melon, and reserve them for garnish. Cut the remaining melon into chunks and purée in an electric blender or food processor. You need 3 cups (710 ml) of purée.
Pour the orange juice into a small saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin on the orange juice, and then sprinkle sugar on top of the gelatin and let it stand for several minutes. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar and gelatin dissolve. In a large bowl, pour in the melon purée and fold in the whipped topping.
Using a wire whisk, drizzle the orange juice mixture in and blend thoroughly. Pour it into the pie shell and place in the refrigerator.
Let it cool until the mixture is firmly set, at least 2 hours.
Garnish with the melon slices and serve with more whipped topping.