Prize Winning Key Lime Pie

Prize Winning Key Lime Pie 

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  25 mins

Total time:  40 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Crust
• 3/4 cups of graham cracker crumbs*
• 4 TBS butter. melted
• Filling
• 3 cups (24 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¾ cup key lime juice ( fresh key limes or bottled key lime)
• 2 egg yolks
• Zest from 1 lime (or key lime)
• Whipped Cream
• 8 oz heavy cream (very cold)
• 1 TBS vanilla
• 3-4 TBS powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pulse graham crackers in your food processor until they become crumbs (or buy crumbs).
3. Add in sugar butter and pulse until combined.
4. Press crumbs onto your pie plate, across the bottom and up the sides.
5. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Allow crust to cool completely.
7. For Filling
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9. Combine all ingredients in your mixing bowl and allow them to beat on med-high for 2 minutes.
10. Scrape filling into your prepared (and cooled) pie crust)
11. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until filling only wiggles a bit in the center when you gently shake the pan back & forth a bit.
12. Don't allow pie to brown.
13. Cool on your counter for at least 30 minutes, then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
14. Whipped Cream
15. In your mixing bowl, whip the cream on high until stiff peaks begin to form.
16. Add in vanilla and powdered sugar and whip until firm whipped cream happens.
17. Scrape into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip and when ready (an hour before serving or so, decorate your pie.
18. Sprinkle a little fresh lime zest over-top.
19. Keep pie chilled until serving.

Notes

The crust doesn't need to be too sweet since the pie filling is very sweet and tangy, add 3-4 TBS sugar. 

I like a little bit of a crumbly crust for this. If you want it held together more firmly, add in an additional TBS of melted butter or two.

If you want a thicker crust, use 2 cups of crumbs (or if using a larger pie dish).

When pulling the pie from the oven...don't put your thumb in the pie...Trust me, I have done this more than once with pies! You may want to bake it on a baking sheet...Just in case.

Keep your whipped cream chilled until ready to use.