My son's favorite dessert is Key Lime Pie. So of coarse whenever he is home I absolutely HAVE to make it for him. What's fantastic about this recipe is it's simple and turns out perfectly every time! Full disclosure, I do take a couple of shortcuts like using a really good bottled key lime juice and ready to bake pie crust.
The first time I ever made Key Lime Pie I bought the little key limes but I didn't have a juicer so my husband suggested using a clean pair of pliers to squeeze the key limes! It was a ridiculous idea and while it did work but I don't recommend that method. I still can't believe that I actually took him up on it and we all took turns squeezing those tiny limes. It was a labor of love to be sure. Soon after the plier ordeal I discovered Key Lime juice in a bottle at my grocery store and made this recipe with perfect results. So, I no longer squeeze the tiny limes and save a ton of time. However, I do buy limes and zest them. Lime zest adds a beautiful bright citrus flavor to the filling. Do not skip the zest! To zest the lime you will need a microplane. A microplane will remove the zest without the white bitter pith.
This is the perfect dessert for any gathering as it has to chill for 3 hours before serving so you can make it in the morning to serve that evening.
I hope this will be your go to recipe for your next dessert making opportunity!
Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust -partially baked
Grease one side of foil with cooking spray, oil or butter.
Line the pie pan with the foil, greased side down, and fill it with pie weights or beans.
Bake at 350 degrees until the edges of the crust start to golden, about 25 minutes.
Carefully remove the foil and weights and continue to bake until the entire crust is golden brown, about another 15 minutes.
Let cool on rack before filling for 15 minutes.
Filling:
2 14-ounce cans of sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup fresh lime juice or Key Lime or Nellie & Joe Key West Lime Juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (about 2 limes)
To make the filling:
In a medium bowl whisk all the ingredients together and pour into prepared pie crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. The center may still be a little jiggly.
Cool on rack for 30 minutes then chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours for the pie to set.
Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar
For the whipped cream topping:
Whip the cream and sugar together until stiff peaks form.
Spread the topping onto the chilled pie.
Garnish with a little lime zest to make it look even prettier.
