Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hrs
Servings: 8-10
About This Recipe
“My first experience to taste KEY LIME PIE was in Key West, Florida. Fell in love with the flavor but did not appreciate the moist crust and the chewy filling. After much experimentation, I formulated this pie in Palm Springs, CA, and that is how I gave it the name PALM SPRINGS KEY LIME PIE. The pie has been reviewed my many newspapers and has been noted as, “A Pie to Die For”.”
Ingredients
PIE CRUST
3/4 cupcrushed vanilla wafers or 3/4 cupvanilla cookie crumbs
3/4 cupcrushed graham wafers or 3/4 cupgraham wafer crumbs
1/2 cupfinely chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine or 1/4 cupbutter
vegetable oil cooking spray
1tablespoonall-purpose flour
FILLING
4largeeggs, separated
1/2 cupfreshly squeezed lime juice
2teaspoonslime zest
10 1/2 fluid ouncessweetened condensed milk( Borden Eagle Brand suggested)
4dropsgreen food coloring
1/4 teaspooncream of tartar
1/2 cupgranulated sugar
TOPPING
1/2 cupwhipping cream
1/2 teaspoonvanilla extract
1/4 cupgranulated sugar
Directions
PIE CRUST———–.
In a mixing bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, graham wafer crumbs and finely chopped pecans.
Pecans can be processed in a food processor.
Reserve 1/2 cup of vanilla/graham wafer mixture to be used on top of pie.
Add margarine or butter to mixture and blend with a pastry blender or fork.
Prepare a 9 inch oven proof pie dish by spraying with a vegetable spray, then dusting lightly with flour.
Shake off any excess flour off pie dish and discard (This prevents the shell from sticking to the dish when baked).
Spoon wafer mixture into pie dish; press evenly to bottom and sides using a rounded soup spoon.
Place pie dish in freezer compartment for at least 30 minutes to cool and firm up.
FILLING———–.
Place eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes before cracking and separating.
Separate eggs, and make sure that the egg whites DO NOT have any yolk.
If any egg yolk accidentally gets into the egg whites, take a piece of bread and dip it over the yolk and this should remove it.
In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth.
Add lime juice, grated lime zest, condensed milk, green food coloring and whisk until well blended.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy; add cream of tartar and beat until egg whites form soft peaks.
Add sugar gradually, beating continuously until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the milk mixture using a spatula until incorporated.
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
Pour filling mixture into cooled pie shell and level.
Sprinkle top with reserved wafer/pecan mixture.
Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Refrigerate pie for at least 1 hour before serving.
TOPPING———–.
In a medium size chilled mixing bowl or a 2 cup measure, whip 1/2 cup whipping cream until the cream just starts to thicken.
Add vanilla extract and beat for a few seconds.
Add sugar gradually, beating continously until thickened.
DO NOT OVERBEAT, OTHERWISE YOU WILL FORM BUTTER.
Just before serving, decorate pie with whipped cream to your liking.
For a nice presentation, slice about 4 thin slices of lime, cut one edge of the slice, twist slightly and push into pie in 4 areas.
Place a dollop of whipped cream in front and back of the projecting slice of lime.
Reviews
“Sorry…I tried this, had way too much filling for pie and it was horrible…the filling got brown spots on top and broke apart.I’m not sure what I did wrong, but it looked nothing like key lime pie when I was done.”
“Wow! This is a great key lime pie. Crust is the best I have had.Easy to follow directions.You will love this one!Friends and family gave rave reviews.Deanna in Seattle”
“I made this and one other pie to take to a meeting, we all enjoyed it, thanks Uncle Bill!…Kitten:)”