My My Key Lime Pie

"Key lime pies were first made in the Keys in the 1850s. Jean A. Voltz, in The Flavor of the South (1977), explains that the recipe developed with the advent of sweetened condensed milk in 1856. Since there were few cows on the Keys, the new canned milk was welcomed by the residents and introduced into a pie made with lime juice. The original pies were made with a pastry crust, but a crust made from graham crackers later became popular and today is a matter of preference, as is the choice between whipped cream and meringue toppings"


Today I'm going to show you how to make a keylime pie. It's one of the easiest to make and well it's just darn good! As you can see by the picture it only takes a few ingredients to make. And please please please do not add green food coloring! Real keylime pie is not... I repeat not... green! In this recipe I used fresh key limes but if you can't find them feel free to use the bottled stuff. But be sure it's real keylime juice and not regular lime juice. It does make a difference in the taste. I also made my crust from scratch but you can buy a premade one if you like. Hey, we all like to save some time now and then right?

Key Lime Pie

1 9 inch baked graham cracker crust
4 eggs yolks
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cups freshly squeezed key lime juice, strained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl whisk eggs yolks together until smooth. Slowly mix in the sweetened milk until creamy. Slowly whisk in the key lime juice until smooth and thickened. Pour filling in to pie crust and bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Cool on counter before refrigerating. To cut run a sharp kinfe under hot water. Dry knife and slice. Top with whipped cream if you so desire.

So I've got 1-1/2 cups of graham crackers crumbs (about 20 squares) mixed with 1/4 cup of sugar. Toss together with a fork and mix in 1/3 cup of butter until moistened. Check to see if your crumbs have enough butter by pressing some crumbs along the side of the bowl with a fork. If it stays you're doing good. If not well add more butter! Try 1 Tbsp. more. That oughta do it.





Pour the crumbs into a 9 inch pie tin. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, glass or even a spoon press crumbs along bottom and sides of pan.











Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for about 8 minutes. Place aside to cool.












While your crust is cooling add 4 egg yolks to a medium sized bowl and whisk just until the eggs are one.











Stir in 1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk until smooth.












Slowly whisk in 2/3 cups of freshly squeezed key lime lime juice. Whisk until smooth.












As you can see it has thickened up from the reaction between the sweetened milk and lime juice.

At this point you can just pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate. It will thicken up on it's own. I prefer to bake it a bit to make sure the eggs are cooked and it will thicken it up a bit more. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack about 30 minutes or so before refrigerating. That's it!