Recipe for Key Lime Pie - Great Florida Vacations

Key Lime Pie Recipe, Florida Style

I know you are hankering for a delicious pie recipe, but before I just give it to you, how about a little background on your friend and mine, the key lime?

The key lime (of pie fame) is thought to have originated in Asia, and through trading and traveling, eventually came to the West Indies via Spanish and Portuguese ships. The key lime bummed around the West Indies for awhile, then decided to take another sea voyage, this time ending up in Florida. It found a home in South Florida, where the weather was warm and the rain abundant.

The key lime that is most often used in recipes is actually the immature fruit. When the limes are green they are more acidic, making them quite tart. As the fruit matures, it starts turning yellow and in the process becomes sweeter.

Stalking the Elusive Lime

Key limes are usually hard to find in the grocery store, even here in South Florida where I live. If you can't locate the fruits themselves, there are several brands of key lime juice you can use. When all else fails, use regular limes (I won't tell).

This particular recipe is my favorite. Partly because of the yummy taste, partly because it's soooooo easy to make!

Recipes for Key Lime Pie usually calls for graham cracker crumbs that you press into a pie plate. Me, I just buy the ready-made graham cracker crumb pie shells. This recipe can be adjusted to make the pie tart-er or sweeter. I like it on the tart side, so do a taste test before you put the filling into the pie shell.

Key Lime Pie, Florida Style

Preheat oven to 350°

1 Graham Cracker Crumb Pie Shell
4 Egg yokes
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
6 oz. Key Lime Juice (juice of regular limes may be substituted if you can't find key lime juice)

Beat egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk together then add the lime juice and pour into the crust. The juice will "cook" the eggs.

Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350°. Remove from oven and let cool for about an hour. Refrigerate and serve (I like it with plenty of whipped cream, but do as you choose).