Key Lime Pie
Maida Heatter’s Key Lime Pie. It is wonderful!
Crumb Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 TB sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 oz. unsalted butter, melted (3/4 stick)
Mix all ingredients together. Press into 9 inch pie pan
Filling:
4 eggs yolks
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
With wire whisk or electric beater, beat the yolks lightly to mix. Add condensed milk and mix. Gradually add the lime juice, beating or whisking only until mixed.
pour into crumb crust. It will make a thin layer. The color will be pale yellow. It will be fluid now, but as a chemical reaction takes place and the filling will become about as firm as baked custard.
Refrigerate overnight. Or if you wish, bake the filled pie for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven, then cool and chill.
Whipped cream is optional on this (natives do not use it- restaurants do) (I do)
Whipped Cream Topping:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated or powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters whip the ingredients until cream holds a shape and is firm enough to spread over the pie. If you whip the cream, ahead of time, refrigerate it.
It will separate slightly as it stands, just whisk it a bit with a wire whisk, when you are ready to use it.
Spread the whipped cream over the cooled filling.
Optional: Fresh strawberries and Key Lime Pie are a divine combination. Either form a border them standing up around the rim or serve them separately.