Key lime pie is a dessert pie composed of a custard made with key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks contained in a sweet pie crust. Key limes are smaller varieties of limes, often the same size as table tennis balls or golf balls. They have a thinner peel as compared to regular limes and a more acidic juice as compared to the Persian lime. Key lime juice can be preserved as a concentrate or sold fresh. Regardless of the style of key lime juice you use, a key lime pie is sure to be refreshing and tart.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
Combine the Graham cracker crumbs with the brown sugar in a mixing bowl.
Step 3
Add the melted butter and combine the ingredients until the butter is evenly distributed and a soft dough emerges.
Step 4
Press this mixture to the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan or a 9-inch pie plate.
Step 5
Bake the crust in the oven for eight minutes and allow the crust to cool.
Step 6
Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until the cream cheese is slightly thickened.
Step 7
Add the granulated white sugar in two small batches and beat the mixture until you see soft peaks forming.
Step 8
Add the sweetened condensed milk and continue beating until stiff peaks, or peaks that do not instantly collapse, form.
Step 9
Beat in the lime juice, lime zest and half-and-half until the mixture is smooth.
Step 10
Spread the filling onto the cooled pie crust. You can decorate the surface with soft peaks by gently placing the spatula onto the pie's surface and pulling upward so that the filling is partly pulled up by the spatula. This will result in soft peaks developing on the pie's surface.
Step 11
Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
Step 12
Cut the pie into wedges and serve with a slice of fresh key lime on top.
Step 13
Top the key lime pie with chocolate, mango or raspberry sauce if you want to add complementing flavors to the pie.
Tips and Warnings
- You can use smaller ramekins or muffin pans instead of a single pie plate for individual serving size key lime pies.
Things You'll Need
- 2 cups Graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- Mixing bowls
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 12 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cups fresh key lime juice
- 1 tbsp. key lime zest
- 1 pint half-and-half
- Spatula
- Plastic wrap
- Fresh key lime slices for garnishing, optional
- 10-inch spring form pan or 9-inch pie plate
- Ramekins or muffin pans, optional
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