1.) Limes and Key Limes are DIFFERENT. Key Limes are more acidic, have more of a tart taste, and have more of fragrance to them than regular limes. They are also called Mexican Limes and they are, as suggested, either imported from Mexico or from Florida.
2.) True Key Lime Pie is NOT GREEN! It is yellow. It is this way because of the egg yolks in the recipe. Also, the filling is NOT jello like or creamy or fluffy.... etc. It is a FIRM type of custard... firmer than even pudding if done correctly.
3.) Time for a histroy lesson.... This pie was made originally way before anyone ever heard of having a fridge, or a freezer!! And since it originated in Florida where there was no cattle or way for them to use fresh milk, they used canned milk that was brought in by trains or, before trains, ships! Also, back then, they relied on the reaction between the lime juice and the eggs to "firm up" the pudding.
But we aren't going to be doing that. Why? Well.. raw eggs..... you know....yuck!
Homemade OR Premade round pie crusts - NOT the frozen ones in the freezer section.
15 KEY LIMES - must be Key Limes or it won't turn out right.
1 regular Lime
1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
4 egg YOLKS. It's best to seperate these when cold, then allow to come to room temp.
Optional - cool whip.
You will also need a round cookie cutter, pizza cutter or something to give you a "round" shape and mini muffin pans.
Spray the mini muffin pans with non stick spray!! Then, take the COLD round pie crusts and roll them out one at a time. Cut out small circles, with the cookie cutter or whatever you're using, one at a time and then gently press with TWO FINGERS, the dough down into the little hole and around the sides so it looks like this...
It's time to mix the custard!!! First, we're going to get the key limes and juice them!!! I recommend a juicer, but if you don't have one of those, you can cut and squeeze them with your hand - just pick out all the seeds after. Make sure to squeeze the limes until you have 1/2 a cup of juice from all of them. Set it aside.
Take the egg yolks and whisk them slowly as well as gently. They'll turn a light yellow in color. This is important! Dont whisk too little and dont whisk them too much or they won't react with the acid like they should!! Just whisk enough to break the yolks up into a completely liquid state. Open the condensed sweet milk and dump it in, like my son did above. Then whisk it until its well mixed. It will be a white-ish looking color once the milk is fully incorporated.
Add 1/4 cup of the freshly squeezed key lime juice into your mixing bowl. Whisk until it is well incorporated, meaning no juice sitting on top of the milk/egg mix. It should all be one huge whiteish looking mix!!! Add the last 1/4 of the juice, repeating the process above.
'Memeber that 1 regular lime you have??
Take the egg yolks and whisk them slowly as well as gently. They'll turn a light yellow in color. This is important! Dont whisk too little and dont whisk them too much or they won't react with the acid like they should!! Just whisk enough to break the yolks up into a completely liquid state. Open the condensed sweet milk and dump it in, like my son did above. Then whisk it until its well mixed. It will be a white-ish looking color once the milk is fully incorporated.
'Memeber that 1 regular lime you have??
If you have a zester, pull it out! If not, a grater - hand or otherwise- will work just fine.
Grate the peel into the mix. JUST THE GREEN. You don't want any white part of the lime skin in there. Stir with spoon to incorporate it. Fill the mini pie crusts with the spoon.
*** DO NOT fill them more than half full. They puff up while baking. Trust me. These aren't like cup cakes where you can fill them 3/4 full. Do half or slightly less than half.
Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until the top edges of the crusts are light brown or golden in color. Then take them out of the oven! Allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan. Now, here's the slightly tricky part.
Take a butter knife and GENTLY loosen the edges of the crust from around the pan. Then, stick the knife easily and gently - DONT FORCE IT - under one edge of the cup. Lift with the knife and use your other hand to help pull it out of the pan. Set on a platter or plate to finish cooling. Once cool, place in the fridge until you are about to use them. When you're ready to serve, decorate with a small slice of lime and cool whip.
Grate the peel into the mix. JUST THE GREEN. You don't want any white part of the lime skin in there. Stir with spoon to incorporate it. Fill the mini pie crusts with the spoon.
*** DO NOT fill them more than half full. They puff up while baking. Trust me. These aren't like cup cakes where you can fill them 3/4 full. Do half or slightly less than half.
Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes or until the top edges of the crusts are light brown or golden in color. Then take them out of the oven! Allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan. Now, here's the slightly tricky part.
Take a butter knife and GENTLY loosen the edges of the crust from around the pan. Then, stick the knife easily and gently - DONT FORCE IT - under one edge of the cup. Lift with the knife and use your other hand to help pull it out of the pan. Set on a platter or plate to finish cooling. Once cool, place in the fridge until you are about to use them. When you're ready to serve, decorate with a small slice of lime and cool whip.
I had to run, so I did one of mine while it was still warm. Hence the bubbles on the cool whip. Wait till they're completely cool before decorating. They're served best cold anyway. Enjoy!
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