American · Florida Keys
Key Lime Pie
Key lime pie from the Florida Keys requires genuine Key limes (Citrus aurantiifolia) — smaller, more aromatic, and more intensely sour than Persian limes. The filling is a simple mixture of Key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks that sets without baking (the acid 'cooks' the egg proteins in the condensed milk). The result is dense, creamy, intensely sour-sweet, and must be served cold. Topped with a thin layer of whipped cream. No green food colouring — genuine Key lime pie is pale yellow.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
200g
all-purpose flour
Your own market
100g
cold unsalted butter
cubed
Your own market
5g
kosher salt
Your own market
10ml
ice water
Your own market
4
large egg yolks
Your own market
400ml
sweetened condensed milk
Your own market
120ml
fresh key lime juice
strained
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15g
key lime zest
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
240ml
heavy cream
Your own market
15g
powdered sugar
Your own market
II
The Method
1
Cut butter into flour and salt until breadcrumb texture; add ice water and form disk.
2
Chill dough 30 minutes; press into 23cm pie tin.
3
Prick crust with fork; blind bake at 190°C for 12 minutes; cool slightly.
4
Whisk egg yolks, condensed milk, key lime juice, and zest until smooth and homogeneous.
5
Pour filling into crust; bake at 170°C for 15 minutes until slightly firm but center jigggles slightly.
6
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate minimum 120 minutes.
7
Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar; dollop before service.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where Key lime pie lives or dies is the chill — after baking, the pie must be refrigerated for a minimum of 4 hours before slicing. At 1 hour, the filling is still soft and will not hold a clean slice. At 4 hours, the filling has set to a dense, creamy consistency that slices cleanly. At 12 hours, the flavours have integrated and the pie is at peak. The Key lime flavour actually intensifies overnight as the acids continue interacting with the condensed milk proteins.
Pillars V — VII
The full recipe pages are part of membership.
Cross-cuisine parallels, what to pour, and the dish's origin and lineage — on every recipe.
Enter · from $49 a year