Key Lime Pie reimagine a traditional American pie into a zesty, portable dessert, featuring a rich graham cracker crust and a smooth, tangy filling. They encapsulate all the delightful tastes of the classic Florida Key Lime Pie without the necessity of a fork!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword american pie, dessert, no bake, pie, quick, sweat
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Chlling 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour40 minutesminutes
Servings 9people
Calories 810kcal
Author Nariman Ghosn
Ingredients
For the crust
3tbspGranulated sugar
1/4tbspKosher Salt
1/4tbspGround Cinnamon
1 1/2cupsFinely ground graham crackers (from about 9 crackers, 145g)
6tbspUnsalted Butter, melted, plus more for greasing
For the filling
4tbspLime zest, divided
3eggsLarge egg yolks
14ounceSweetened condensed Milk
1cupKey Lime Juice (30 key limes)
3/4cupHeavy whipping cream
1tbspPowdered sugar
1/8tbspBox instant vanilla pudding mix
Instructions
Begin by preheating the oven and preparing the baking dish:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Apply butter to grease an 8x8-inch baking dish. Cut a piece of parchment paper that matches the width of the pan and is sufficiently long to extend over the edges. Firmly press the parchment into the pan to create a sling. Set this aside.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together lemon juice, wine vinegar, extra virgin oil oil, honey, garlic, cilantro, parsley, oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. A little will go a long way since it’s dried with concentrated flavors. We don’t want to overpower that rich avocado flavor. Only a very small amount is needed, this balances out the tartness also helps emulsify the avocado salad dressing.
Prepare the crust:
To make the graham cracker crumbs, break the crackers into smaller pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until you have fine crumbs. Alternatively, place the crackers in a sealed zip top bag and carefully crush them with a rolling pin or heavy bottomed pot until they resemble dry sand.In a large mixing bowl, whisk the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together. Add the melted butter and use a rubber spatula to stir until all the crumbs are coated—the mixture should look like wet sand.
Place the crust into the baking dish:
Pour the crumbs into the designated baking dish and utilize your fingers to distribute them evenly. Employing a small measuring cup or a flat-bottomed drinking glass, firmly press the crust into the base of the pan.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until it begins to darken slightly at the edges. Afterward, allow it to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Lower the oven temperature and make the filling preparation:
Lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Grate the limes. Reserve 4 teaspoons for the filling and 1 teaspoon for the garnish. Squeeze the limes to obtain 1 cup of lime juice. In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, condensed milk, key lime zest, key lime juice, and salt by whisking until they are completely blended into a smooth yellow custard.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together lemon juice, wine vinegar, extra virgin oil oil, honey, garlic, cilantro, parsley, oregano, and season with salt and pepper to taste. A little will go a long way since it’s dried with concentrated flavors. We don’t want to overpower that rich avocado flavor. Only a very small amount is needed, this balances out the tartness also helps emulsify the avocado salad dressing.
Prepare and refrigerate:
Pour the filling onto the cooled crust and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until it is just set. To check for doneness, gently shake the pan—the filling should have a slight jiggle. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow it to cool to room temperature. After it has cooled, cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight.
Prepare the whipped cream:
Pour the heavy cream into a large, pre-chilled mixing bowl. Utilize a whisk or an electric mixer equipped with the whisk attachment (if opting for an electric mixer, begin at a low speed and gradually increase to medium) to whip the cream. As the cream begins to thicken, incorporate the powdered sugar and salt. Keep whipping the cream until it achieves medium-stiff peaks (the cream maintains its shape when the whisk is lifted).
Garnish the bars with whipped cream, slice them, and serve:
Remove the chilled bars from the refrigerator and, utilizing the parchment sling, lift the bars out of the pan and position them on a cutting board.Take a chef’s knife and run the blade under hot water for several seconds. Wipe the blade with a clean dish towel and cut the bars straight down (avoid dragging it through). Continue to warm and dry the blade as necessary to slice the bars. Divide the bars into 9 pieces. Top each piece with a uniform layer of whipped cream, using a small spoon, and add a sprinkle of lime zest.