key lime pie

I prefer making things from scratch, but sometimes you just run out of time.  For the key lime pie, I bought a 10-ounce ready-made graham cracker crust instead of making my own. I feel a little guilty because I remember how delicious the homemade version is.  This key lime pie is one of my dad’s all-time favorite desserts. My mom has made this recipe on several occasions, and she agrees the crust is just as good as the filling, so even though I didn’t make my own crust, I included the graham cracker crust recipe. You won’t regret making it!

The key lime filling is super easy, and only takes about ten minutes to assemble. When baked, the filling has the consistency of a custard and has a nice balance of tartness and sweetness. And contrary to popular belief, key lime pie is actually yellow, not green. I should note that you don’t necessarily have to use key limes for this recipe; I used large conventional limes from the grocery store, and it turned out great! Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

graham cracker crust

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, divided

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 25 crackers)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

key lime filling

6 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cans (14 ounces each) sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup key lime juice (about 5 large limes)

store-bought whipped cream for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

To make the crust: In a bowl, stir together the graham crackers crumbs and granulated sugar. Stir in remaining 7 tablespoons butter until the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture firmly onto the bottom and all the way up the sides of the prepared pan. Place in the freezer to chill for about 15 minutes.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks together for about 2 minutes. Whisk in the condensed milk and then the lime juice until smooth and thoroughly combined. Carefully pour the prepared filling into the crust.

Bake the pie until the top is lightly browned and the filling is softly set, about 25 minutes. Remove pie from the oven and let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Once the pie has set, slice the pie, and add a dollop of whipped cream and serve.

(Adapted from Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook: Delicious Recipes for Memorable Gatherings, by Clem, John; Northern, Michael, 2005)