Key lime pie is an American dessert pie. It is made of lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk. It may be served with no topping, topped with a meringue topping made from egg whites, or with whipped cream; it may be cooked in a pie crust, graham cracker crust, or no crust.
Type : Pie
Course: Dessert
Place of origin: United States
Region or state: Key West, Florida
Main ingredients: Shortcrust pie shell, Key lime juice, egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk
Variations Graham cracker pie shell
What restaurant invented key lime pie?
However, the dessert wasn’t created in the Sunshine State, but by the Borden condensed milk company in New York City. Thanks to a wave of advertising by the condensed milk company, the recipe for Magic Lemon Cream Pie most likely made its way to Florida sometime in the 1930s and ’40s.
What place is famous for Key lime pie?
Key West
It’s rumored that Key West is the home to the first Key Lime Pie, however, no one is really sure. Either way, you’ll still find the best Key Lime Pie you’ve ever had when you are in Key West and the Florida Keys
Why is it called key lime pie?
The dish is named after the small Key limes, which are more aromatic than the common Persian limes, and which have yellow juice. The filling in a Key lime pie is typically yellow because of the egg yolks.
What are other names for key lime?
Key lime. Scientific name: Citrus aurantifolia Swingle. Common names: Key lime, West Indian lime, Mexican lime (Limón Mexicano), dayap (Filipino), manao (Thai), chanh (Vietnamese), limão galego (Portuguese), tilleul clé (French).
How long does Key lime pie last?
Key lime pie lasts for about a week in the refrigerator, and up to three months in the freezer. This delicious pie is perfect for making ahead of time thanks to it’s long shelf life. Just remember to always label your frozen pie with a date to ensure it is still good when you pull it out to serve.
Five Tips for Making the Perfect Key Lime Pie
- Make your mix the day before.
Don’t over-whip the egg yolks, key lime juice, and condensed milk, cautions the chef. To get rid of any extra air, though, Thieffine recommends making the mixture the day before baking. “Let it rest overnight, because sometimes you can incorporate air, and you want it to dissipate.” If you don’t have the time, though, let it sit in the refrigerator for at least three to four hours.
- Cook it low and slow.
To avoid key lime scrambled eggs (which, to be honest, doesn’t sound so bad), bake the pie in a 200 degree oven for up to an hour. “Things boil at 212, so at 200 degrees, you have a safety net, and it never boils,” says the chef. “I bake my cheesecake this way, I don’t do water bath, I do 200 degrees in a convection oven. Crème brulée, too. These are high in eggs, and you don’t want the eggs to coagulate and boil.”
- Pay close attention to crust consistency.
A mixture of graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, the crust needs to be perfectly consistent throughout. You can either buy the crumbs, or use a food processor, but if you do the latter, the chef says to make sure they come out super fine. After combining the crumbs with melted butter, form the mixture into the pie dish, making sure the crust is dense enough and with an even thickness throughout. “You want to make sure the crust holds up to your filling,” says the chef.
- Save your egg whites.
The topping is a hotly contested debate among key lime pie purists. While Thieffine finds it to be a little too sweet (he adds a spoon of fresh whipped cream instead), the chef says you can save your egg whites, mix in a little sugar, and toast the top for a fluffy meringue.
How do you preserve a key lime pie?
Cool completely and open-freeze to prevent damage, until solid. Wrap in foil or a polythene freezer bag with cardboard support to prevent damage, or a rigid container, for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Decorate and serve