Real Florida Key Lime Pie
Florida Key Lime Pie (aka the easiest pie you'll ever make) is a simple custard pie made with sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and egg yolks and baked in a graham cracker crust. Despite the minimal ingredient list, it has a bold and tangy lime flavor and creamy consistency that can't be beat. The authentic Florida version doesn't include meringue, but a topping of a little whipped cream (we prefer unsweetened) is a nice complement to the crisp acidity of the limes.
Real Florida Key Lime Pie
Made with sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and fresh-squeezed lime juice, key lime pie is a tart and creamy custard pie baked in an easy-to-make graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
- 5 large egg yolks (see notes)
- 1 can (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice (or regular juice - about 1 lb of limes)
For the crust:
- 1-1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (from about 10 crackers)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the graham crackers in a large zip-top bag and crush to fine crumbs with a rolling pin. Transfer to a small mixing bowl, add the sugar and pour in the butter. Combine with a fork and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate.
- Use your fingers to press the crumbs evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Bake until golden, about 7 minutes, remove and reduce the temperature to 350°F. Set the crust aside to cool for 10 to 12 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until smooth and starting to thicken. Pour the mixture into the partially cooled crust and bake until the custard is set but still a little jiggly, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 90 minutes before serving. Serve topped with a little freshly whipped cream if desired.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
We call for 5 egg yolks in this recipe because we consistenly find the yolks in the large organic eggs we get at the supermarket to be on the small side. A large egg yolk should equal about 1 tablespoon, so if your eggs yolks meet that criteria, you can comfortably cut the quantity back to four.
About Key Limes:
Key limes differ from the more commonly available Persian limes in that they are smaller, have more seeds, a thinner rind, more juice, and a tart, acidic flavor. They're fairly easy to come by, but if you can't locate them, you can easily substitute juice from Persian limes in this recipe. Just be sure to avoid bottled lime juice - it just isn't the same as fresh squeezed, no matter what the label might proclaim.
