i couldn't help but nerd out a bit!
as i'm sure you're all aware, it was a pi day of epic proportions over the weekend. of course i planned on making a pie to celebrate, because really, who does't love an excuse for pie? seeing as we were set to attend a margaritaville party, i knew it had to be key lime pie. i always loved the rare occasion my mom would make key lime pie as a child, and couldn't help but wonder why i'd never made one myself.
and wonder i still do! this pie came together in a breeze, and was absolutely delicious. just tart enough, and perfectly creamy. whip this one up, then sit yourself down with a slice of pie and a margarita - you deserve it!
this recipe was adapted from the smitten kitchen.
ingredients:
crust
about 10 graham crackers
1/4 cup walnuts
3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
filling
2 Tbsp lime zest, finely grated
1 whole egg + 2 egg yolks
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup fresh lime juice (i used 4.5 regular limes, you would need abut 10 key limes)
instructions:
first, we create a flour with the graham crackers and walnuts. i did this in my vitamix, but you could use a food processor or other blender. if you don't have one of those things, swap the walnuts for a few more graham crackers, put them in a ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin. there might be a few visible pieces, but everything should be pulverized.
now, mix 1 2/3 cups of the graham and walnut flour with the sugar and salt, stirring to combine. drizzle in the melted butter, and stir until fully combined. dump your bowl out into a 9-inch pie dish and use your fingers or a measuring cup to press the crust into the dish. make sure your crust comes all the way up the edges of your pie dish!
bake the crust at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned. remove from oven and set aside. if your crust has risen a lot and there won't be space for the filling, feel free to gently press it back down with a spoon - just be careful!
now, for the filling! zest your limes into the bottom of a mixing bowl. using a mixer or a whole lot of muscle, beat the zest with the eggs until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes pale, about 5 minutes. add the sweetened condensed milk, and beat until the mixture thickens again, about 3 minutes. add lime juice, and whisk until fully combined.
pour the filling into the prepared crust, and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until a little shake reveals a solid filling. if you have any extra filling (a shallow 9-inch pan probably won't fit it all), feel free to make a little extra crust and bake yourself a mini-pie. i love doing this when i'm taking the pie to an event, so i can taste test it first!
allow the pie to cool completely in the fridge before serving.