Welcome back to the Fancy Fork! Your seasonal produce insight and farm-style recipes that are made to satisfy.  

Summer and our favorite big, juicy heirloom tomatoes are at their peak! Speaking of fruits, cherries are also at their peak as well as bananas, blueberries, blackberries, stone fruit, raspberries, pineapples, melons, and papaya. And to balance off the sweet, we have a variety of bright savory produce like green beans, celery, cauliflower, bok choy, cucumbers, zucchini, mushrooms, leeks, potatoes, bell peppers and just about every other pepper you can think of in season!

If you’ve ever visited Florida during the summer months, you’ll probably notice a popular dessert called Key Lime Pie that’s made with these tiny key limes that are much more concentrated in flavor. These key limes paired with a few other simple ingredients makes for a refreshing balance of creamy sweeteness and tart tanginess that most Floridians, especially in the Floriday Keys, have excelled in making. And now you can too with this authentic key lime pie recipe! 

Authentic Key Lime Pie

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Resting time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings: 10

Ingredients

For the Crust:

2 cups Graham Crackers crushed, about 1 1/2 sleeves

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Melted Butter

Pinch of Fine Sea Salt

For the Filling:

4 Egg Yolks save the egg whites

14 oz. Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 tbsp. Key Lime Zest

1/2 cup Fresh Key Lime Juice

For the Meringue Topping:

4 large Egg Whites

1 cup Granulated Cane Sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Instructions

For the Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9″ pie plate with softened butter.
2. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until very fine crumb texture. Add the brown sugar and salt. Pulse to combine.
3. On LOW speed, drizzle in the melted butter. The texture will be crumby but should stick together when pressed between two fingers. If not, add up to 2-3 tablespoons more melted butter.
4. Press along the bottom and sides of the prepared pie plate using the back of a spoon.
5. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool at least 10-15 minutes as you prepare the filling.

For the Filling:

1. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and key lime zest. Beat with a whisk for 2 minutes.
2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and juice to whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes. Set aside at room temperature as the crust bakes and cools.
3. Pour into the cooled graham cracker crust. Even out the surface with the back of a spoon.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until center is set but still jiggly.
5. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the fridge 2-3 hours to overnight to set.

For the Meringue Topping:

1. TIP: The meringue topping is best made same day as serving the key lime pie. It can be covered and stored in the fridge the night before, but for best textures, I’d recommend enjoying the same day.
2. Combine the sugar and egg whites in a stand mixer bowl (preferably stainless steel). Whisk to combine.
3. Bring 2-3″ of water in a small saucepan to a boil over medium heat.
4. Add the stand mixer bowl on top and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved. To test, rub a bit between two fingers to make sure it’s smooth and not grainy.
5. Transfer immediately to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to beat on HIGH for 4-5 minutes, until stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla extract for 30 seconds.
6. Top the chilled key lime pie with the meringue topping and extra key lime zest to serve!