Key Lime Pie
I was craving key lime pie and it was Mother’s Day, and hey I’m a mom!, so we had key lime pie last Sunday. Now, there is a big argument among key lime pie lovers about what this delicious pie should consist of. Some say it should be generously topped with meringue, while others beg for whipped cream. Some argue for a pastry crust, and others believe it should have a graham cracker crust. My only argument is that a slice of key lime pie is not in front of me at this very moment. I know it’s only 8AM. Hey, if you want to read a great article on the history and great debate of Key Lime Pie go here. And if you want to see my 60 second Tik Tok video on making a key lime pie then click here. Okay, I’m curious now… how do you like your key lime pie?
I love this pie because it’s so easy and so incredibly delicious. I went the whipped cream route with a graham cracker crust. I even cut a few corners and used Nellie and Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice for the lime juice and for the recipe on the back of the bottle. You can make it even easier by buying a ready-made graham cracker crust. Although, making your own is a cinch, so give it a go. I used Martha Stewart’s recipe from her book Pies And Tarts because Martha has never steered me wrong.
This graham cracker crust is buttery and sweet, which cuts the tartness of the key lime filling perfectly.
I whipped up the cream right before serving. Normally I add a little sugar to my whipped cream but I was at my mom’s house and I couldn’t find where she put the sugar, so I ended up with unsweetened whipped cream. It worked! With the sweetness of the crust, and the cool, creaminess of the whipped cream the tart filling was just right.
Notes
Special equipment needed: Mixer (hand held or standing), whisk attachment, 8-inch or 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
- For the graham cracker crust:
- 12 Graham Cracker sheets (170 g), broken into pieces (or 1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker crumbs)
- 6 TBS (86 g) Salted Butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pie plate
- 3 TBS (45 g) Sugar
- For the filling:
- 3 Egg Yolks (Large Eggs)
- One 14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/2 cup Key Lime Juice
- For topping:
- Zest from 1 Lime
- Whipped Cream
Instructions
- To make the graham cracker crust, preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Using a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground. Pour the crumbs into a medium-sized bowl, and mix in butter, and sugar. Press the mixture firmly into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Make sure it is spread evenly around. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
- To make the filling, keep the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F.
- Using a standing mixer or handheld mixer, whisk the egg yolks for 3 minutes. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and whisk for another 3 minutes. Finally, pour in the key lime juice and mix until combined. Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until it no longer jiggles (internal temperature should be 130 degrees F).
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream, lime zest, and lime slices. Key lime pie will last for 3 days refrigerated, and 3 months frozen.
