My Great British Bake Off: Key Lime Pie Following the tips of about three different recipes I went about to get the butter to room temperature - and unfortunately managed to melt the block I had in the fridge. So after realising putting it back into the fridge was going to take a while to get it back to room temperature I used a different block of butter - five minutes in and I'm already in a flap. Pastry from what I have read is all about not handling it too much and ensuring the mixture is at room temperature - it's important to keep your hands cool and one recipe even advised "be confident in your actions." I was very cool and confident crumbling the butter into the flour, and my face still one of relaxed contentment when all the ingredients were added to form what I like to call a crumbly mess. "Bring the pastry together to form a smooth dough" the recipes say - How? - I asked the empty kitchen, how, HOW? - OK, not so confident at that point. Instead of adding one tablespoon of water I added about six or seven, but it didn't matter as it did in fact bind together, and within 20 minutes it was chilling in the fridge - as was I. Rolling the pastry Tricky, very tricky. I could have rolled it out a bit more but I was worried it would break - so it didn't go right up the sides of the tin - and due to this had a very messy edge, so already I knew I wouldn't get top marks for appearance. The Key Lime bit So it turns out you don't have to bake Key Lime Pie - on the show half the task was to make the pie set without putting it in the oven - however, my lack of experience let me down here and it was only until afterwards that I realised my recipe which told me to bake it must have been slightly odd, or wrong. Either way here is the Key Lime Pie recipe by Delia Smith that I followed (substituting the biscuit base for pastry of course) if you wish to try it yourself at home, although I realise I probably haven't sold it to you. The texture was very similar to that of a baked cheesecake, so it wasn't bad or inedible. However, it didn't really meet the brief - it also wasn't the prettiest of bakes I've whipped up. The condensed milk made it too sweet for me and I couldn't taste the ginger I added (I guessed the quantities). I can hold my head up high though as I've never made a Key Lime Pie or indeed pastry before and the pastry was the best bit - and guess what - no soggy bottom. In total the whole pie took just over two hours to prepare and bake. Tasters: Mum and Dad (Think I need some new tasters...hmmm must make some friends - should be quite easy if I'm offering baked goods). Feedback: They liked the pastry and thought it was very tasty - oooo that rhymes! Final thoughts Would I make pastry again? I wouldn't make Key Lime Pie again but I have always wanted to try my hand at making croissants, so never say never. On a quick note, the butternut squash and chorizo risotto I made for dinner after the bake this week was delicious.