Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe

This simple key lime pie recipe is the proper candy and tangy dessert to share. A crust of graham cracker crumbs is loaded with a creamy citrus-filling and topped with whipped cream. It’s nice for making forward of time and chilling till able to serve.

Desk of Contents

1. Making the graham cracker crust
2. Forming the pie crust
3. Bake the crust
4. Lime choice
5. Making the important thing lime filling
6. Bake and funky the pie
7. Topping concepts
8. Assembling and storing
9. Key Lime Pie Recipe

Making key lime pie is simple! The recipe simply requires a easy graham cracker crust loaded with a four-ingredient citrus filling. There’s no have to go the store-bought route. It’s a candy deal with with a little bit welcomed pucker.

The excellent news is there are a lot of methods to save lots of on preparation time, particularly if you wish to make the pie prematurely. You additionally don’t want quite a lot of fancy instruments, however they do assist make issues go faster. Plus, I’ll provide you with loads of concepts for swapping.

Making the graham cracker crust

Candy and crispy graham crackers make the proper base for the crust. To interrupt them down shortly, I exploit a meals processor to crush them into smaller items, then pulse, and add within the coconut flakes. The coconut provides a delicate tropical taste to enhance the limes. Course of till the crackers are nice in texture, and the coconut is chopped down. 

When you don’t have a meals processor, add the crackers to the massive plastic bag. Go away a tiny opening for air to flee, then gently crush with a rolling pin. For the coconut flakes, finely chop them down with a chef’s knife.

Forming the pie crust

Two components assist the crust bind collectively; melted butter and sugar. They combine with the graham cracker crumbs till they coat and compress collectively. Pour them right into a 9-inch pie plate, then use the underside of a measuring cup to press the crust down firmly.

I like to make use of fingers to complete gently urgent the edges and high. The crust received’t go up the facet of the pan, simply flush with it. The whole crust needs to be about 1-cm in thickness or a ⅓-inch. 

Bake the crust

The crust will really feel very fragile earlier than baking. Don’t fear. Baking it for quarter-hour will soften the sugar and, mixed with the butter, will lock the cracker and coconut collectively. As soon as cooled, it should set right into a extra hardened cohesive shell.

Lime choice

What makes this recipe distinctive is using key limes. They’re small and spherical, greenish-yellow in shade, and about 1-inch in measurement. In comparison with common giant limes, they’re much extra tart, and while you zest them, you may scent intense citrus and floral aroma. 

Key limes have quite a lot of seeds, so make sure that to pressure the juice. You possibly can substitute it with common limes, however it should have a barely much less acidic style. Bottled key lime juice can be used, together with the zest of standard limes. Nevertheless, the most effective taste comes from freshly-squeezed as a result of it hasn’t been processed.

Making the important thing lime filling

I exploit a stand mixer to make the filling shortly, however alternatively, a hand mixer or whisking vigorously by hand works too. Cream cheese provides a mushy texture and the additional fats helps to steadiness the sturdy tanginess. It’s mixed with egg yolks so as to add richness. 

Sweetened condensed milk provides the filling a thick, wealthy texture. It’s created from cow’s milk and sugar that’s been processed to evaporate a lot of the water, creating a really thick and sticky product. The pie filling needs to be very easy, with no lumps.

Bake and funky the pie

The pie must bake for quarter-hour to prepare dinner the egg yolks and set the filling. It will likely be barely jiggly however will agency up as soon as it cools down. Let it sit for about half-hour earlier than inserting it within the fridge for 3 hours. This course of will make each bit a lot simpler to serve and slice.

Topping concepts

Make a whipped cream topping for a quick and flippantly candy addition to enhance the tart pie. I like to brighten alongside the perimeters by including the cream right into a piping bag fitted with a big star tip. It’s also possible to make a decadent topping created from egg whites and sugar, which I did for my lemon meringue pie. 

The meringue is far sweeter, but it surely does require cooking the eggs with scorching sugar syrup. Nevertheless, it pipes properly and holds its form, which is great in case you have the pie on the counter at room temperature for a extra prolonged interval. For further garnish, strive utilizing freshly grated lime zest, skinny slices of lime, or items of candied lime peel. Toasted coconut flakes are a pleasant contact too.

Assembling and storing

You need to make the pie crust and fill it the identical day. As soon as assembled, you may serve the pie instantly or inside 24 hours. If potential, add the whipped cream the day you intend to serve. Wait so as to add any garnish, any juice from the lime might break down the whipped cream and make it weep. Take pleasure in leftovers inside 3 days.

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