I recently had a slice of neon green pie that made me curious about a popular southern dessert. Its creamy sweet texture was balanced by citrus undertones, but it didn’t have that familiar look of my favorite pie from childhood days.
After a little research I did find “rules” for Key lime pie set forth by Floridians, that even went up before that state’s Legislature in 1965 but were narrowly defeated. The rules dictated that Key lime pie must only be made with Key limes, not the dark green Persian variety, and with sweetened condensed milk, and never contain food coloring.
This sweet and tart dessert originated in the late 19th century in Key West, Florida, with a woman known only as “Aunt Sally.” Sweetened condensed milk was an essential ingredient because fresh milk and refrigeration were uncommon on this remote island until the 1930s.
The original recipe also showcased Key limes which are quite different from their Persian cousin. They are much smaller and a yellowish-green color with very thin skin. Their delicate skin is the reason why you don’t see the fruit in produce sections around the country very often as they are too fragile and costly to ship.
There are many variations of the original recipe which had a pastry crust rather than the common graham cracker now used today. Some recipes contain egg yolks, similar to a lemon pie, and often top the pie with meringue, rather than whipped cream, in order to use the egg whites.
Some versions are not baked and only chilled. A variation made by Publix grocery stores has become a cult classic since the 1950s.
If you love citrus desserts, you’ll probably love a good Key lime pie. This week I have included my Key lime pie recipe. Enjoy!
Key Lime Pie
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
• 1 baked and cooled deep-dish graham cracker crust
• 1 tablespoon grated key lime zest, packed to measure
• ¾ cup key lime juice
• 3 cups sweetened condensed milk
• ½ sour cream
• ½ teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Finely grate or zest key limes. If key limes cannot be found substitute 3 parts lime and 1 part lemon. Juice the key limes.
3. In a medium bowl stir together the sweetened condensed milk , sour cream, salt, lime juice and zest. When fully combined pour into prepared graham cracker crust.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate pan and bake an additional 10 minutes. Do not brown. Bring to room temperature and chill for 2 hours before serving.
5. To serve dollop home-made whipped cream on top of pie and garnish with a sliced lime.
Graham Cracker Crust
For one pie shell
Ingredients
• 1½ cups finely ground graham crackers
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients. Spray a pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
If you have a cooking question, contact me at cher.orr@gmail.com and I’d be happy to assist!
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