Like key lime pie?

The wife and I had some friends over Saturday night for a little fish taco party. The tacos ruled (and I'll blog about that some other time), but the star of show was the key lime pie. After a gluttonous feast of fried snapper with chipotle lime mayo, this key lime pie was exactly what we needed to cool our palettes.

Every pie lives and dies by the crust, so don't wuss out and use a pre-made version . The brown sugar and cinnamon add an amazing complexity to the crust, so thanks to my Mom for that little nugget.

Jamie, this one's for you!

Graham cracker crust:

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbs white sugar
1 tbs brown sugar

Filling:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3 large egg yolks
3 teaspoons grated lime zest, finely chopped
1/2 cup key lime juice, freshly squeezed if possible

Whipped cream:

2 tablespoons granulated or powdered while sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Place the rack in the center of your oven and preheat at 350F.

For the crust:

I like to buy whole graham crackers and make the crumbs myself. Simply place whole crackers in to a large ziplock bag, and beat gently, but firmly with a rolling pin until you've reach the desired texture. It's quite satisfying to beat the poor, innocent crackers you'll find, but be careful to leave a few larger pieces (relatively speaking) intact to give some additional texture to the finished crust. Also, as a warning to other crackers who might get out of line.

Mix the crumbs, melted butter, and both sugars together with your hands in a medium bowl. When everything is combined thoroughly, press the mixture into the bottom and sides of a well-buttered 9 inch pie pan. It's important to make sure the crust is even, other wise the bottom or sides will collapse, and no one likes broken-down pie. 

Cover with plastic wrap and chill the crust in the fridge for an hour.

For the filling:

With a mixer (stand or hand) beat the egg yolks on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Fluffy.

Fold in the zest and juice, then stir gently until filling is completely mixed.

Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the custard is set. The pie will firm up as it cools, so don't overdo it in the oven or your pie will suck.

Cool your pie completely and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

For the whipped cream topping, simply beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to beat the cream until your peaks get firm. Add a dollop to each piece, or spread a layer of whipped cream across the whole pie, whatever floats your boat.