The Best Key Lime Pie

This pie isn't really pink, its lime/yellow green, but for some reason this picture comes out pink.

It's August and even though its chilly and raining tonight, I think you might still find time this month or even into September to make a Key Lime Pie.  Here's my favorite recipe.  I have put the word key in parentheses because I use regular limes, not Key limes. Trust me, you won't know the difference except in your pocket book. This is a quick and easy pie and very, very good.

(Key) Lime Pie



Start with the crumb crust.  Traditionally it is made of graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter.  Since this is a traditional Caribbean  pie I like to use crushed ginger snaps. You can use graham crackers if you prefer.

1 1/4 cups crushed ginger snaps
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons butter.

Melt the butter. Pour it into a nine inch pie plate. Add the ginger snap crumbs and sugar and mix with a fork until the crumbs are well coated with butter and sugar.  Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.  I like to use a flat sided 1/2 cup measuring cup to do this.  Bake the pie in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool.

Now for the filling:

1  14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup lime juice - three to four regular limes
reserve a little lime zest for topping

Whisk together the condensed milk and eggs until very well combined. Add lime juice and whisk until the mixture is well combined and slightly thickened.  Pour filling into cooled crust and bake in the middle of a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove pie from oven, cool completely on a rack, then refrigerate.  Top with whipped cream and a little lime zest.

This pie doesn't keep well past 24 hours, so just enjoy it while its cold and refreshing.