A Very Unusual Town

This is It! Key Lime Pie

 I have been searching forever for the Key Lime Pie that I ate every day in Marathon in the Florida Keys. A no frills deli carried it. It was sooo delicious every morning frozen.  I have finally recreated it. It is super easy and no bake. This is it:

one fresh lime; zest and juice

one 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

2/3 cup Nellie and Joe's Key West Lime Juice

one 8 oz. container Cool Whip softened

no crust

Combine everything in a big bowl and transfer to a tin pie plate. Freeze overnight.

Enjoy!

Prize Winning Key Lime Pie

 

Ingredients

The Crust

• 1 ½ to 2 cups graham cracker crumbs

• 5 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

The Filling

• 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

• ½ cup full-fat sour cream

• ¾ cup Key lime juice (such as Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Juice)

• 2 large egg yolks

• Zest from 1 lime (or key lime)

The Fresh Whipped Cream Topping

• 8 ounces heavy whipping cream, very cold

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 to 4 tablespoons powdered sugar

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Instructions

1. Prep and Bake the Crust

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. In a bowl (or food processor), mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until combined.

3. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of an 8 or 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until just lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

2. Make and Bake the Filling

1. Keep the oven temperature at 350°F.

2. In a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, Key lime juice, egg yolks, and lime zest.

3. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 full minutes until the filling becomes noticeably thick and smooth.

4. Scrape the filling into your cooled crust.

5. Pro-Tip from the Chef: Place the pie plate onto a baking sheet before putting it in the oven (this protects the pie from accidental thumbprints when you pull it out!).

6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. It is done when the edges are set and the very center only wiggles slightly when shaken. Do not let the top brown.

3. Cool and Chill

1. Let the pie cool completely on the counter for at least 30 minutes.

2. Transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours before serving. (Colleen notes that cold air falls, so placing it on the very bottom shelf of your fridge will help it set the fastest!)

4. Garnish and Serve

1. In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks begin to form. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, and whip until firm.

2. Scoop the whipped cream into a pastry bag with a decorative tip (or just a Ziploc bag with a corner snipped off) and pipe it onto the chilled pie an hour or so before serving.

3. Finish with a light sprinkle of extra fresh lime zest or graham cracker crumbs across the top.

Richard Gardner Photography

 We went to one of Richard Gardner's photography exhibits today.  As always, the the well curated collection was   thought provoking and visually compelling.  The King and I argued over whether or not pears are anatomically correct.  We also shuddered at the incipient violence depicted by a straight razor juxtaposed with a strand of pearls. Our eyes widened at an image of a nut and bolt blatantly screwing in public.

Azul, who I sculpted, was in at least two of the photographs.

Uncle Bill's eyeball was showcased  in another photo. (Uncle Bill no longer needs his eye since he has passed away, so we use it for art exhibits. And he gets to live on.) (Well, a piece of him does.)

You can find Richard here:

www.richardgardnerfineartphotography.com

You can contact him here:

631.428.6793

rgardnerimages@mac.com

Wisteria

 

Lorina

 

Photographs by Richard Gardner.

Paint by fishcake.

Caumsett Park