I think that this was the first time that I have tried key lime pie, let alone made it, so I enlisted some help in my paternal grandmother. I am definitely not familiar with the craft of making key lime pies, but with the help of my grandmother and this straightforward recipe, it was a piece of cake, or should I say, a piece of pie. I didn't know much about key lime pie before I made this recipe, so to be honest, I chose the recipe with good reviews and the best picture.
Covid has taken away many of the special in person moments that we might usually have, which made it extra special to be able to make this with my grandmother. We have been doing across the country zooms, but it is not quite the same as actually being with relatives. We have my younger sister and vaccines to thank for bringing us back together. My sister had a big weekend with her confirmation and first communion, so family was excited to come and support her. It was slyly hinted to me that one of our extended family members’s favorite dessert was key lime pie, and from that moment on, I decided I would surprise them.
I was much better about my timing this go around because I planned in advance and my dad was kind enough to get the ingredients. When it came time to make the pie, I opened the fridge in search of the key ingredient: limes... which were no where to be found.... that was kind of a problem! No worries though, Dan and Whit's, the best general store out there, is conveniently just minutes away. So, I ran up to grab them while my grandmother did some prep work. Other than that small bump in the road, making the pie was smooth sailing and was super easy. Plus, it was fun to decorate the top!
Yields: 8-10 servings Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 3h 45 mins
Ingredients ~
Crust
1-1/2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs, from about 12 whole graham crackers
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
Two 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole milk)
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
Topping
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
8 to 10 thin lime slices
Instructions ~
Crust
Preheat oven to 375 °F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter; stir with a fork first, and then your hands until the mixture is well combined. Using your fingers and the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 x 1.5-inch pie pan. The crust should be about ¼-inch thick. (Tip: do the sides first.)
Bake for 10 minutes, until just slightly browned. Let the crust cool on a wire rack.
Filling
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour the thick mixture into the warm graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, until the filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly, about 3 hours.
Topping
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until medium peaks form. Top the pie with the whipped cream. Decorate with the lime zest and lime slices. Store the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Slice the pie into wedges, wiping your knife clean between slices, and serve cold.
Make-Ahead Instructions: You can make the crust a day ahead of time, but the filling should be added on the day of serving, otherwise the crust will get soggy.
Recipe From: Once Upon A Chef
the presentation on this dish is amazing- it looks great!