Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie is a favorite southern dessert made from the small pale key limes found in the Florida Keys.  The Key Lime has a thinner skin (making them more perishable) and is tarter and more aromatic than the typical Persian Limes found in most super market produce departments.  There are many variations on the basic recipe and it seems every native South Florida family has a recipe for Key Lime Pie. The origin of the recipe is debatable but most likely originated in the early 20^th century.  One of the key ingredients is sweetened condensed milk.  This was used as fresh milk was difficult to obtain in the Keys before refrigerated transport was widely available.

Tom’s introduction to Key Lime Pie was at his best friend’s rehearsal dinner circa 1984 in Miami.  Several years later he made mention in a discussion with co-workers that he fell in love with the first piece of Key Lime Pie he ever ate and it instantly became one of his most favorite desserts.  The next day, a friend and co-worker brought in a newspaper clipping from “A Taste of Tampa” containing the recipe.  Where she got a copy of the newspaper with the recipe in Atlanta was a mystery, but one that was appreciated.  This recipe was for the traditional Key West Key Lime Pie that used egg yolks in the custard and the remaining egg whites to create a meringue.  It also was baked in a pastry crust.  After many years of experimenting, Tom finally conceded to use a graham cracker crust in lieu of making the pie crust or buying a premade pie shell and edited the ingredients and topping to meet family tastes.

Tom made Key Lime Pie on multiple occasions when covered-dish meals were held at work.  When he started dating Becki, she asked, as a woman does when getting to know her man, what foods he liked and he responded that Key Lime Pie was his favorite pie and she noted that it was one of her favorites, too.  When he planned the first meal he would prepare for her, he made Key Lime Pie for dessert that night.  The dinner also happened to include a salad, Lasagna (another of Tom’s favorites) and garlic toast made with baguette.  In the last 20 plus years, Tom has made this dessert countless times having auctioned them in charity auctions, made them for pot luck dinners (once, he received a marriage proposal from a male-fellow camper based on his delight with this tart dessert), and honored requests by in-laws from across the country when they visit.

Key Lime Pie

1-9 inch graham cracker pie-crust (or pastry shell)

1-14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

3-egg separated into yolks and whites

½-cup Key Lime Juice (do not substitute regular lime juice, it won’t taste anywhere near the same)

6-tablespoons of sugar

1/8^th teaspoon of cream of tartar

• Combine condensed milk, egg yolks, and Key Lime juice in mixing bowl
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form
• Slowly add sugar to egg whites and continue to beat until stiff peaks form
• Pour custard mixture in pie crust and pile the egg whites on top
• Bake at 350* F for 16-20 minutes or until meringue has toasted points and edges
• Cool for 10 minutes and then refrigerate for up to four days

Note: Tom has experimented with this original recipe and has simplified it with no loss of flavor.  Our oldest son does not like whipped cream or meringue, but loves Key Lime Pie so Tom now omits the meringue and serves whipped cream as a topping that is added when served.  Omitting the egg yolks has resulted in a more congealed custard when chilled.  His current recipe is as follows:

1-9 inch graham cracker crust

1-can sweetened condensed milk

½-cup Key Lime Juice

1-cup heavy whipping cream

Sugar

• Combine sweetened condensed milk and Key Lime Juice and pour into pie crust
• Bake at 350* for 10 minutes
• Whip cream until soft peaks form and add sugar and continue to mix just until sugar is distributed throughout the mix…don’t over whip the cream or you will have very sweet butter on your hands

Cool on rack for 10 minutes and then refrigerate for up to one week

The meringue will “sweat” between the custard and the meringue causeing separation between the two and tending to make the crust soggy.  This is why the refrigeration life is shorter with the traditional meringue version.

Tags: Camping Recipes, Key Lime Pie, Rallies, Recipes, RV, Streamin