Home > Comfort Food Recipes > Chill Out Desserts > Key Lime Pie
Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
400g/14oz can condensed milk
Grated rind and juice of 3 limes
A few drops of green food colouring (optional)
30ml/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
Thinly pared lime rind and fresh mint leaves, to decorate
For the pastry
225g/8oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
115g/4oz/½ cup chilled butter, diced
30ml/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
2 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
30ml/2 tbsp chilled water
For the topping
300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups double (heavy) cream
2-3 limes, thinly sliced
Details
Serves: 10
Method
1. To make the pastry, sift the flour into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, egg yolks, salt and water, then mix to a soft dough.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a deep 21cm/8½in fluted flan tin (tart pan), allowing the excess pastry to hang over the edge. Prick the pastry base with a fork and chill for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Trim off the excess pastry from around the edge of the pastry case (pie shell) using a sharp knife. If using a metal flan tin, you can just roll over the rim with a rolling pin. Line the pastry case with baking parchment or foil and baking beans.
4. Bake the pastry case blind for about 10 minutes. Remove the parchment or foil and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for 10 minutes more, until just cooked but not browned.
5. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks in a large bowl until light and creamy, then beat in the condensed milk, with the lime rind and juice, until thoroughly combined. Add the food colouring, if using, and continue to beat until the mixture is thick.
6. In a grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Whisk in the caster sugar until the meringue is stiff, then fold into the lime mixture.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3. Pour the lime filling into the pastry case, smoothing the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until it has set and is turning brown. Cool, then chill.
8. Whip the cream for the topping and spoon it around the edge of the pie. Cut each lime slice from the centre to the edge, then twist it and arrange between the spoonfuls of cream. Decorate with lime rind and mint leaves.
Energy 508Kcal/2121kj; Protein 9.1g; Carbohydrate 47.8g of which sugars 30.6g; Fat 32.6g of which saturates 19.3g; Cholesterol 171mg; Calcium 182mg; Fibre 0.7g; Sodium 167mg
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