Key Lime pie

Key Lime Pie

Good afternoon great foodie friends,

So happy are the days when you go through the fruit section and find a seasonal treat like Key Limes or Meyer Lemons……
Today it was key limes that made the wonderful dessert list this week!
What is a Key lime?
The Key lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) is a citrus species with a globose fruit, 2.5–5 cm in diameter (1–2 in), that is yellow when ripe but usually picked green commercially. It is smaller and seedier, with a higher acidity, a stronger aroma, and a thinner rind, than that of the Persian lime (Citrus x latifolia). It is valued for its unique flavor compared to other limes, with the Key lime usually having a more tart and bitter flavor. The name comes from its association with the Florida Keys, where it is best known as the flavoring ingredient in Key lime pie. It is also known as West Indian lime, bartender’s lime, Omani lime, or Mexican lime, the latter classified as a distinct race with a thicker skin and darker green color. Philippine varieties have various names, including dayap and bilolo.

where is it originally from?
C. aurantifolia is native to Southeast Asia. Its apparent path of introduction was through the Middle East to North Africa, then to Sicily and Andalusia and via Spanish explorers to the West Indies, including the Florida Keys. From the Caribbean, lime cultivation spread to tropical and subtropical North America, including Mexico, Florida, and later California.

Since the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect, many Key limes on the US market are grown in Mexico and Central America. They are also grown in Texas, Florida, and California.

What you will need for the pie filling:
*1 can (14 oz.) of sweetened condensed milk
*1/2 to 2/3 cup of fresh squeezed key lime juice
*1 1/2 tablespoons of key lime rind
*1 tablespoon of powdered sugar.
*3 fresh egg yolks

Making the filling:
*Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F
*Combine the condensed milk, egg yolks, powdered sugar, lime juice and rind until smooth.
*Now pour into a cooled or Pre-prepared 9″ graham cracker crust.

If you wish to make your crust, prepare ahead and let cool before filling.

Place the filled pie into the oven and bake for 25 mins. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes then chill for approx 1 1/2 hours.

The Topping:
*1 cup of sour cream
*2 tablespoons of powdered sugar (icing sugar/confectioners sugar)
*1/2 tablespoon of key lime rind
*1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla bean paste (I use Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste) you could also use pure vanilla in place of the paste.

*Combine the sour cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste in a mixer until light and fluffy (approx 1 minute)
*Using a spatula evenly spread the topping over the chilled pie and garnish the top with the lime rind.

You Gotta Try This!

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