Key lime pie is a dessert all the way from America, a shortcrust pastry base with a tart lime filling and topped with whipped cream. A lime version of lemon meringue pie really but without the meringue topping. Personally, I prefer key lime pie because I don’t particularly like the meringue topping on a lemon meringue pie, I just feel that there’s so much that the middle is spongy which I’m not a fan of.
Key lime pie is called key lime because these are the types of limes that are traditionally used. Florida ripen key limes. It is the limes and zest which give the pie such a fragrant and beautiful green-colour filling. Not overdoing it though so that it looks unnatural.
Key lime pie is also normally made as one large dish to share around and slice up but I chose to make miniature versions as I was giving them to my friends and I think they look more cute than if it was a large slice. Oh and also make sure you chill these before serving them to people because then they stay firm and will taste better 😛
My key lime pies are easy and quick to make because though there are three layers they are all easy to make and you can bake them altogether at the same time. At first I tried to bake them using a circular mould but it didn’t work, so I eventually resorted to using my muffin trays and placed muffin cases into them and then made the key lime pie inside of them. It worked very well and meant I could transport them easily.
Makes 10 with a diameter of 5cm
13 digestives
150g melted butter, cooled
3 egg yolks
2/3 of a tin (397) condensed milk
2 limes, juiced and zested
150ml double cream
Method
1. Place the muffin cases into the muffin tray and preheat the oven to gas mark 2 or 150 degrees celsius.
2. Crush the digestives until fine crumbs and then pour the butter in slowly at a little at a time. Keep mixing until it reaches wet sand, remember it has to be firm enough to hold up and crumble but not too hard so that it’s hard to bite.
3. Divide the biscuit base mixture between the cases and push them down into the cases until it is smooth. Press hard with the back of a spoon.
4. Using a whisk, no need to be electric, mix together the egg yolks, condensed milk and lime juice until it is thick. Pour into the muffin cases and bake for around 25 mins, they should be firm when touched but still slightly soft in the middle.
5. Once they are done, leave to cool on a wire rack. When completely cooled, place in the fridge and start the chilling fridge.
6. Whip up the cream using an electric whisk until stiff and when you tip the bowl upside down, it stays exactly as it is. Watch out to not overmix as otherwise it’ll curdle. Once lightly whipped, spoon onto the lime pies and sprinkle with a flourish of lime zest. Return back to the fridge…
Enjoy cold 😀
A little bit of heaven... 