Key Lime Pie

Name: Key Lime Pie
Ingredients: 4 teaspoons grated lime zest; 1⁄2 cup lime juice from 3 to 4 limes; 4 large egg yolks; 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk; 11 graham crackers, processed to fine crumbs (1 1/4 cups); 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream; ¼ cup powdered sugar

Granny always felt at home in South Florida and the Key Lime Pie was a big reason why. This tart and creamy delight turns fresh Key lime juice and zest into a firm custard filling. Topped off with a sweet homemade whipped cream to complement the citrus flavor, the Key Lime Pie is like a trip to the beach.

Although regular limes will make a fine pie, Key limes are valued for their unique and intense flavor profile. Common in in the Caribbean, they may be harder to find in other regions but this hybrid citrus fruit is worth the search. Unlike regular limes, these appear yellow when ripe and have a stronger acidic taste. Thy're what makes a Key Lime Pie so special – that perfect balance of sweet custard and tart citrus.

Ingredients

For the Filling
4 teaspoons grated lime zest
¹⁄₂ cup lime juice from 3 to 4 limes
4 large egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
11 graham crackers, processed to fine crumbs (1 ¹⁄₄ cups)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Topping
1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
¹⁄₄ cup powdered sugar

Method

1. Whisk the lime zest and egg yolks in a medium bowl until it’s tinted light green - about 2 minutes. Then beat in milk and juice. Set aside at room temperature to thicken..

2. Preheat oven to 325 F (162 C). Mix crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl. Add butter and stir with a fork until well blended. Pour mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Press crumbs over bottom and up the sides of pan to form an even crust. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

3. Pour the lime filling into the crust. Bake until center is set, yet wiggly when jiggled, about 15 to 17 minutes. Return the pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours.

4. Up to 2 hours before serving, whip cream in medium bowl to very soft peaks. Adding powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, continue whipping to just-stiff peaks. Decoratively pipe whipped cream over filling or spread evenly with rubber spatula.