Key Lime Pie with Flaky Pie Crust
We had arranged to take our daughter and her husband to our local green grocers, my new favorite place. I took a quick inventory of what vegetables I have left from our last trip there. A bag of Key Limes caught my eye and I knew I had to do something now to get them used up. Gee! I thought what to do with key limes. Perhaps a pie? Of course.
The traditional recipe calls for a graham cracker crumb crust, Graham crackers were invented in 1829. The sweetened condensed milk was developed in , I believe, 1856. Although many attribute the invention of the pie to William Curry’s cook Aunt Sally in the late 1800’s. It is more likely a recipe developed by the sponge fisherman in the keys, since the original recipe did not need to be baked, as the reaction of the milk and lime caused the pie to thicken. It probably didn’t have a crust either.
My version is a throw together making do with what I had on hand. I keep pie crusts in the freezer ready for any occasion. The recipe I use came from Julia Child’s cook book “Baking with Julia” and is an award winning, sure to please, crust. It is a little hard to work with but well worth it.
Ingredients for key lime pie crust
This recipe makes enough dough for 4 pie crusts. This recipe is designed for the food processor. You can do it by hand or in a mixer with a paddle (see the “Baking with Julia” cook book for directions}.
- 5 1/4 cups of flour (all-purpose or pastry)
- 1 Tbs Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 3/4 cups ( 11 ounces) solid vegetable shortening chilled
- 1 cup ice water
Directions for making dough
Use very cold ingredients and do not overwork them. Use the metal blade in the food processor. I put flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. I then put about a cup of flour into the processor and then layer some of the butter and shortening on top, then cover with flour and layer in more butter and shortening and continue this process until all ingredients are in the processor. Pulse a few times until the fats are cut in and the mixture resembles moist cornmeal. Add a little bit of the liquid and pulse a few times more. Than add a little more liquid and pulse a few more times , continue this process until the mixture has curds and lumps and sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Do not process until a ball forms.
Turn the dough out and form into a ball and divide into 4 equal parts. Take any quarters not being used right away and wrap and bag tightly and freeze. Any pieces to be used right away wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours or up to 5 days.
Recipe for Key Lime Pie
Take the pie dough and roll out so that it is large enough to fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Place it in the pie plate line the dough with wax paper and add pie weights or beans and blind bake at 350° for about 10 minutes. Take out of oven and cool on wire rack.
Ingredients for Key Lime Pie Filling
- 4 large eggs separated
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed key lime juice ( 12- 24 limes)
- zest from 2 limes about 2 tsp
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 6 Tbs sugar
- 1/2 tsp corn starch\
Procedure
Preheat oven to 350°
Place the 4 egg yolks in the bowl of the mixer and mix with whip until they are lightened. Add the milk and slowly whip until completely combined. add 1/2 the lime juice and whip till combined. Add remaining juice and zest and combine completely.
In another bowl take the 4 egg whites and whisk till soft peaks began to form. Turn mixer to high and slowly add the sugar and corn starch and whisk until stiff peaks are formed.
Pour the key lime mixture into the pie shell and cover with the meringue spooning it so there are peaks all around the pie. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes and the meringue has browned lightly at the edges.
Remove from oven, place on wire rack to cool. Once cooled place in refrigerator to chill.
Here are a few items that might make this recipe easier
Pyrex Easy Grab 9-1/2-Inch Pie Plate
Cuisinart DLC-10S Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor, White
Egg Yolky 96035 Egg Separator
- Ingredients for key lime pie crust
- This recipe makes enough dough for 4 pie crusts. This recipe is designed for the food processor. You can do it by hand or in a mixer with a paddle (see the "Baking with Julia" cook book for directions}.
- 5 1/4 cups of flour (all-purpose or pastry)
- 1 Tbs Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 3/4 cups ( 11 ounces) solid vegetable shortening chilled
- 1 cup ice water
- Ingredients for Key Lime Pie Filling
- 4 large eggs separated
- 1/2 cup freah squeezed key lime juice ( 12- 24 limes)
- zest from 2 limes about 2 tsp
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 6 Tbs sugar
- 1/2 tsp corn starch\
- Directions for making dough
- Use very cold ingredients and do not overwork them. Use the metal blade in the food processor. I put flour and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. I then put about a cup of flour into the processor and then layer some of the butter and shortening on top, then cover with flour and layer in more butter and shortening and continue this process until all ingredients are in the processor. Pulse a few times until the fats are cut in and the mixture resembles moist cornmeal. Add a little bit of the liquid and pulse a few times more. Than add a little more liquid and pulse a few more times , continue this process until the mixture has curds and lumps and sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Do not process until a ball forms.
- Turn the dough out and form into a ball and divide into 4 equal parts. Take any quarters not being used right away and wrap and bag tightly and freeze. Any pieces to be used right away wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours or up to 5 day
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Place the 4 egg yolks in the bowl of the mixer and mix with whip until they are lightened. Add the milk and slowly whip until completely combined. add 1/2 the lime juice and whip till combined. Add remaining juice and zest and combine completely.
- In another bowl take the 4 egg whites and whisk till soft peaks began to form. Turn mixer to high and slowly add the sugar and corn starch and whisk until stiff peaks are formed.
- Pour the key lime mixture into the pie shell and cover with the meringue spooning it so there are peaks all around the pie. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes and the meringue has browned lightly at the edges.
- Remove from oven, place on wire rack to cool. Once cooled place in refrigerator to chill.
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