Easy Key Lime Pie Recipe {Only 6 Ingredients & No Bake!} - Belly Full (2024)

FAQs

What makes Key lime pie thicken? ›

Combining the lime juice with the egg yolks and condensed milk creates a chemical reaction that causes the mixture to thicken all on its own (the acid causes the proteins in the yolks and milk to bond together).

Unless you live in the Florida Keys, key limes are near impossible to find. Furthermore, they're so tiny that you'd need to juice at least twenty of them for this recipe. No thank you! Ordinary limes make an exceptional Key lime pie, and they are a much better alternative to bracingly tart bottled Key lime juice.

In terms of taste, key limes have a higher acidity, making them a little more tart than what we consider "regular limes." This makes them ideal for pairing with sweeter ingredients, hence the ever-popular Key lime pie.

key lime pie, an American dessert that consists of a graham-cracker or pastry crust, a yellow custard (primarily egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and key lime juice), and a topping of either whipped cream or meringue. The sweet and tart pie reportedly originated in Key West, Florida, in the late 19th century.

The key is in the crust

The salty, toasted almonds offer a great contrast to the sweet and tart pie, while the nut's crunchy texture perfectly compliments the creamy and rich filling.

The biggest culprit of a runny key lime pie is not letting it chill for long enough. Since this is one of those summer pie recipes that's not baked, chilling the pie helps it set and prevents it from being runny. Be sure to chill it for at least 12 hours!

As it turns out, undercooking and overcooking can both cause weeping meringue and unwanted moisture on top of your pie (aka beading). Overcooking meringue causes those little sugary drops of moisture on top of baked meringues.

The Citrus

Key limes are quite different to your regular limes. They're smaller, more acidic, and taste slightly more tart and bitter than what you may be used to. That tartness is what makes an authentic Key lime pie from the Florida Keys incomparable.

Nothing will bring forward the bright, citrusy, natural flavors and acidity like fresh squeezed limes. However, bottled lime juice is certainly a convenient option. If you decide to go this route, make sure to choose a high-quality brand that is 100% lime juice with no added sweeteners or flavors.

The most pivotal part of the pie is the filling. The “sweet spot” between the tart key lime, and the creamy condensed milk is crucial for the pie's quality. Here at Teak we understand that balancing these two ingredients is an art and take this concoction seriously. Our guests love our Killer Key Lime Pie.

What is the difference between Key lime and Key West lime? ›

A Key lime, also known as a Mexican lime, West Indian lime, or Florida Key lime, is significantly smaller and rounder. Key limes also contains seeds, while the Persian limes — sometimes called a Tahitian limes — found in grocery stores typically do not.

The dish is named after the small Key limes, which are more aromatic than the common Persian limes, and which have yellow juice. The filling in a Key lime pie is typically yellow because of the egg yolks. Key lime pie. Cut-away view of a Key lime pie.

Research published in Pharmacognosy Review reveals that, when used daily, key lime has antibacterial, anticancer, anti-diabetic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It provides metabolites that help protect the body from disease.

Key lime is probably a tri-hybrid intergeneric cross (a three-way hybrid involving three plant species and at least two different genera) of citron (Citrus medica), pummelo (Citrus grandis), and a microcitrus species, Citrus micrantha.

How do you make Key Lime Fudge? Evaporated milk, sugar and salt are heated together in a saucepan and boiled for 8 minutes. Once that mixture has boiled for several minutes, it'll be piping hot. At that point, you'll pull the pan off the stove and stir in marshmallows, white chocolate, lime zest and lime juice.

“ Visitors returning from the Keys with real Key limes followed suit, and often added green food coloring to their pies so guests didn't think they were being served an inferior lemon pie.

This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of lime juice, which you should get from about 15 Key limes.