Chef Jojo's Key Lime Pie

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when squeezed.
2. Press it firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan, packing it with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake 10 minutes until lightly golden, then cool on a rack.
3. Whisk the egg yolks until smooth, then whisk in the condensed milk. Add the key lime juice, zest, and salt and whisk until smooth and slightly thickened; the lime juice reacts with the condensed milk to thicken it.
4. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, until just set with a slight jiggle in the center.
5. Cool completely on a rack, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. In a small saucepan, melt the guava paste with the water over medium heat, stirring often, until smooth, 5–7 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and add sugar only if needed.
7. Strain the guava sauce if it has any lumps, let it cool, and refrigerate until serving.
8. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on medium speed to soft peaks. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat on high to stiff, glossy peaks, 3–4 minutes, and beat in the vanilla.
9. Spread the meringue over the chilled pie, sealing it to the crust all the way around so it doesn't shrink, and swirl it into peaks with the back of a spoon.
10. Toast the meringue with a kitchen torch until golden in spots, or slide the pie under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely and rotating as needed.
11. Drizzle guava sauce on dessert plates, set a slice of pie on top, and add an extra drizzle over the pie if you like.