The Ultimate Key Lime Pie Frozen to perfection. Summer’s best dessert is make ahead in this version, that is full of lime zest and all the flavor of the season.
From the classic and outstanding Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook, I give you the ultimate summer dessert – Frozen Key Lime Pie. This one is everything. Easy, make ahead, memorable and special all at once. It’s the kind of dessert that makes people feel like you went all out.
The genius starts in the “basic but beats anything”, buttery graham cracker crust. Baked for only 10 minutes, and that’s the end of the oven…
The only work in this comes from zesting and juicing the limes (don’t worry – the vast number pictured here was for THREE pies!) – total of about 6 limes per pie… Fresh here makes all the difference, so no skimping.
I highly recommend getting some high school seniors to help you with these mundane tasks… Thanks M & G!
One important note – this takes TWO stages of freezing, and they are not negotiable, so this is a make ahead MUST. Also. That’s a fun freezer situation.
Frozen Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
The Crust
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 full - size crackers)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 6 Tbsp butter, melted
The Filling
- 6 extra-large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons grated lime zest
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 5-6 limes
The Topping
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Thin lime wedges for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
- For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.
- For the topping, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.
- Note: Remove the pie from the freezer fifteen minutes before serving.
Notes
