The Key to My Key Lime Pie

When I started posting recipes for each thousand hits, I received several requests for my Key Lime Pie recipe.  To say my Key Lime Pie is famous would be an overstatement; but I am quite certain that on more than one occasion I was invited to an event simply for the promise of my tasty Florida confection.

I became known for Key Lime Pie back in my college days, when I realized that I could make this dessert without a kitchen.  Of course back then I relied on a store-bought crust, conventional green limes, and space in someone’s refrigerator.  Today I use a refined version of the recipe passed down by my mother.  There is no longer a reason to substitute a more common green-skinned species of Persian lime, as “Joe and Nellie’s Key Lime Juice” is readily available year round at Whole Food and even many regular supermarkets.  There is a difference in flavor—a key lime is considerably more tart—so do not sacrifice authenticity for convenience.

A Key Lime itself is a tiny round fruit with a rough, patchy yellow skin.  It grows in the Florida Keys and around the Caribbean.  It has tons of seeds, which makes extracting a cup of juice for pie or daiquiris rather tedious.  Although I am a stickler for doing things from scratch, this is one area where I do not mind an industrialized boost—go for the yellow bottle of Joe and Nellie’s.  But please, make the crust from scratch!

A few warnings:

• Use the ingredients for the filling specified in this recipe without substitution.  Do not attempt to substitute evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk or Rose’s Lime Juice for Joe and Nellie’s.  You will not get the same result.

• Authentic Key Lime Pie is always yellow.  Do not add green food coloring (and do not eat anything in a restaurant called ‘key lime pie’ if it is not yellow).

• Use fresh eggs.  Yes, there are eggs in this pie.  Originally, key lime pie was an unbaked dessert; the eggs are “cooked” (denaturing the proteins) by the citric acid.  In this recipe, I have reduced the traditional number of eggs used by half, using whole eggs instead of just the yolks, and I subject the pie to a brief stint in a low oven.  I have never had a problem with the uncooked version, but I find that people are wary of eggs these days.  Also, my newer version creates a greater volume of custard and a much creamier texture overall.

Key Lime Pie

Graham Cracker Crust:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 “package” (1 of 3 pkgs. contained in a 1 lb. box) of plain graham crackers (not cinnamon)

½ cup whole pecans

½ cup sugar

½ stick melted butter (do not use margarine)

Method:  Process graham crackers in food processor until mostly broken up then add pecans and sugar and continue processing just until entire mixture is fine crumbs.  While pulsing the machine, drizzle melted butter slowly until all crumbs are just wet.  Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate; press the crumbs against the bottoms and sides of the plate to form a crust.  Take care to make the top edge consistent so that the final pie will be attractive.

Bake about 12 minutes until the crust is heated through; remove before the edges burn or the butter begins to blister in the crust.  Cool completely.  (After cooling to the touch on a rack, I place the crust in the freezer.  Do not make the filling until the crust is prepared and cooled.)

Key Lime Filling:

Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees

2 cans Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

2 whole fresh eggs (large)

1 cup of key lime juice (fresh squeezed or Joe and Nellie’s)

Method:  Whisk together eggs and sweetened condensed milk until thoroughly mixed and a uniform color throughout.  While continuing to whisk, pour in key lime juice all at once.  Whisk until juice is fully incorporated and custard begins to thicken.  Immediately, pour into prepared pie crust.

Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. 

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Tomorrow's blog:  Relentless Pursuit