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Key lime pie

17/11/2023

Key lime pie is a classic American dessert originating from the Florida Keys. I’ll show you the traditional recipe, but with a small Italian twist to make it unique.

Ingredients

  • 200g of digestive biscuits (alternatively, you can use “Graham crackers” if you find them)
  • 100g of unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 can (about 400g) of condensed milk
  • 120ml of fresh lime juice (Key limes are ideal, but common limes can be used)
  • Grated zest of 2 limes
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 250ml of whipping cream (for decoration)
  • 2 tablespoons of icing sugar (for the whipped cream)

For an Italian touch, you can add grated lemon zest to the whipped cream or a little orange liqueur like Cointreau to flavor it.

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C.
  2. Finely chop the biscuits in a food processor. Mix the chopped biscuits with the melted butter until you have a uniform mixture.
  3. Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom and sides of a 23 cm diameter springform cake pan, creating an even layer.
  4. Bake the base in the oven for about 10 minutes, until it turns golden. Then let it cool.
  5. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and add the condensed milk, lime juice, grated zest, and pinch of salt. Mix until the mixture is uniform.
  6. Pour the filling onto the cooled biscuit base and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
  7. Let the cake cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

For the decoration, whip the cream with the icing sugar until it is firm and forms soft peaks. If desired, flavor with lemon zest or orange liqueur. Spread the whipped cream on the cake before serving.

Curiosity

Tradition says that the real Key lime pie should never be green, but rather a pale yellow. This is due to the natural color of the juice of Key limes, very different from the bright green often associated with industrial limes.

Key lime pie is perfect to serve on a warm summer day or as a dessert after a fish or seafood dinner, following a bit of Florida’s culinary traditions. Enjoy your pie!