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Key Lime Pie with Pie Crust

Key Lime Pie with a Pie Crust

4.88 from 8 votes
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the Pie Crust (Pâte Brisée):

  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp unbleached flour
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 8 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold and cut in dices (I used Plugra butter)
  • 2 tablespoon ice water
  • 1 packet of vanilla cane sugar (=½ Tbsp) or ½ tablespoon sugar + 1 vanilla bean scraped

For the filling:

  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup fresh key lime juice (I used 12 key limes) or 3-4 Persian limes
  • 2 tsp  grated key lime zest (grate only the surface of the lime and not the white part which is very bitter)

For the whipped cream topping:

  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon cane sugar

Instructions
 

To make the crust:

  • In a food processor, add the flour, salt, and vanilla sugar. Pulse it to sift.
  • Add the cold butter and pulse a few times until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  • Pour the water 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse until the mixture just forms a dough.
  • Put the dough in a plastic wrap. Press the dough into a flat disc and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
  • When it is ready to use. Butter a tart pan (11 inches). Precisely fit it in a tart pan (11 inches). Poke the dough all over with a fork. Then put the pie back into the fridge to harden.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. When it is hot, remove the pie from the fridge. Put some parchment paper on the dough. Put some pie weights or dry beans to cover the entire bottom and angles of the pie well.
  • Cook for 20 minutes until the crust is lightly brown
  • Remove the pie from the oven. Pull out the parchment paper by holding the 4 corners and remove the pie weights or dry beans. Put them in a bowl to cool off (be careful not to burn yourself, they are very hot!) Let the pie crust cool down on a wire rack.

To make the filling:

  • Meanwhile, zest the key limes. Then, squeeze out the juice from them. They are very small and it takes a lot of energy, so it is best to use some kind of juicing/pressing device!
  • In an electric mixer bowl with the whisk attachment beat the egg yolk until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick (about 3 minutes longer). Scrap down the sides of the bowl and then add the lime juice and zest. Whisk until well-incorporated.
  • Pour the filling into the pie crust.
  • Bake about 10 minutes or until the filling is set.
  • Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before to put in the fridge at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • When the filling of your pie is cold, put the bowl and the whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill.

To make the whipped cream topping:

  • Whip the heavy whipping cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat or you will have butter). Spread the whipped cream topping evenly over your pie or use a piping bag. You can serve the pie directly like this or put it back in the fridge for at least 2 hours so that the whipped cream sets.
  • Before serving the pie, you can add some extra zest on the cream and a thin slice of lime to decorate.
Keyword citrus, key lime, pie, tart
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