The Key to Our Lime Hearts

Over the weekend I finally made my first pie in our new home. It didn’t require an all-butter crust or sliced apples or even piles of sweet fruit. This easy recipe is sweet and creamy and full of zest. 

Key Lime pie is special to us because Key West was where we had our “wedding moon” over eleven years ago. Along with crazy chickens, fine cigars, and Coronas with shots of tequila, our adventures down there also included tasting the local delicacy – Key Lime pie. Every piece was a slice of lovely lime-induced heaven. 

The crazy thing about Key Lime pie is it is not difficult to make. The filling only requires four ingredients: egg yolks, lime juice, lime zest, and sweetened condensed milk. Some recipes call for a traditional butter crust, but I prefer a graham cracker crust. You can purchase pre-made, but homemade is easy and you also have control over the ingredients. Fresh whipped cream is a must. No fake stuff for this concoction!

Key Lime pie is just like our marriage: tart, sassy, simple, yet perfectly complete. Our new house is even Key West inspired, so this recipe was an excellent pick for a Saturday evening dessert. Enjoy!

Christie & Rock’s Key Lime Pie

Graham cracker crust:

10-14 pieces of graham crackers 

4 tablespoons melted butter

Break the graham crackers into manageable pieces and place in food processor. Pulse until ground. Drizzle in melted butter and pulse until it begins to stick together. Pour into pie plate and press the mixture evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Place in 350 degree oven for ten minutes. Let cool a bit.

Filling:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup key lime juice (Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice is the best! You can juice those tiny key limes, but, goodness, why?)

zest and juice from one lime

Mix the egg yolks with stand or electric mixer until thick and creamy. Add lime juice and zest. Mix. Then add sweetened condensed milk and mix until smooth and creamy.

Pour into crust and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate for two hours or even overnight. Slice and serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Whipped cream:

1 small container heavy whipping cream

1-2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Whip cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and continue to whip until it peaks. Extra cream can be stored in the frig for a few days. Perfect for leftover pie or fresh fruit!

A job offer has presented us with a new opportunity for adventure. We have moved our stuff from our hometown to a bigger city filled with rivers, arches, and Cardinals. It is both exciting and terrifying, but we welcome the journey. I hope to chronicle this odyssey as we stumble toward the future.