In the way back,
Key Lime wasn’t my thing.
But making every pie under the sun was.
As with many side-eye pies, I was quick to believe.
Although key lime’s one of our most sought and requested pies, I’m a tweaker. That sounds bad. What I mean is, I can’t stop tinkering with our pie recipes. I keep an original, but push the envelope. I’m only following human nature, right?
Push again and Dave and I stood with forks in hand and stars in our eyes.
Welcome to our creamiest and dreamiest Key Lime.
Tarts are classy/classic/adorable/and taste so darn good.
But what makes this year’s interpretation of Key Lime so dreamy?
The Crust
To a super stellar graham cracker, I added pecans in fine form, unsweetened flake coconut, and cardamom.
The Technique
I confess my undying love for the man I call Pie Guy to anyone who’ll listen. His book’s my bible. Deep inside, I recently found a technique from a man named Joe from Miami. I bet he’s really famous. 30,000 handmade key lime pies a year famous.
Key Lime Joe advises to beat the zest and egg for about four minutes, while slowly adding the condensed milk, then beat again for about four more minutes. Key lime and I were unknowingly lost, but no longer.
With a little help from our friends, we become better and the world brighter when we share.
Thank you Joe from Miami. Dave, our neighbors, and I appreciate you.
For a tart that’s easy as pie
Make the crust recipe.
Divide the crumbs into six tarts.
Use a rimmed baking sheet, so unlike me, one won’t slide off while admiring.
Bake and cool the tart crusts.
Make the key lime filling.
Pour into the cooled tart shells.
Bake, cool, cover, and refrigerate.
Pipe or dollop with fresh whipped cream.
Lick the beater and don’t forget to give a smidge to your sous chef (dog, cat, chinchilla)
Love and share a dreamtime tart with those you love or someone who really needs love.
And may we always…
Dreamtime Key Lime Tart
Ingredients:
Six Tarts
- 1/2 cup pecans walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts sound good too!
- 1 cup, 9 sheets graham cracker crumbs
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour (sea level = 2 Tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened flake coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons butter, melted (sea level = 4 Tablespoons)
Key Lime Filling
- 3 egg yolks, large - room temperature
- 2-4 teaspoons key lime or lime zest
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup fresh key lime or lime juice about 6 medium size limes
Fresh Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Garnish
- Dusting powdered sugar
- Slices key lime or lime
Instructions
Six Tarts
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter or spray your tart pans with a light coat, then set aside.
- Crumb graham crackers in a food processor until fine. Run your fingers through and either break or remove any larger pieces, as these can sometimes cause parts of a crust to falter. Add crumbs to a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Add nuts, brown sugar, cardamom, flour, and salt to the processor bowl and pulse until pecans are fine. Combine mixture with graham crackers in the medium-sized bowl. Mix well, then add the melted butter. Stir with a fork, spatula, or hands until the butter is even in distribution and coats the crumbs.
- Add 3-4 Tablespoons of graham cracker mixture to each tart pan. Spread the crumbs evenly across the bottom of each tart pan. With a tart tamper, your hands, or the back and side of your smallest measuring cup, press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pans. Refrigerate on a rimmed baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- On the center oven rack, bake the tart crusts for about 10 minutes or until set and smell graham cracker fragrant. Let the crusts cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack.
Key Lime Filling
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg yolks and est with an electric mixer until light, airy, and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, while continuing to beat until the mixture is thick and fluffy, another 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the (key) lime juice until just blended. Pour the filling into the cooled tart shells.
- Place the rimmed baking sheet, including the tarts on the center oven rack and bake until filling first appears set, between 10 - 12 minutes. The tarts may have a slight jiggle in the center.
- Transfer the tarts to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Tent loosely with foil and refrigerate until cold, at least two hours.
Fresh Whipped Cream
- About 15 minutes before ready to serve, chill a medium-sized (preferably glass or metal) bowl and the beaters from your electric mixer in the freezer.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cream, confectioners' sugar, and cardamom until stiff peaks form. Avoid over beating.
- Pipe or dollop these sweet tarts as you wish. Let me know what you think!
Notes
- the only change at 6,300 altitude, is using 5 tablespoons of butter in the crust vs. 4 at sea level.
- brown sugar helps the crust hold together, but if your crumbs feel dry when mixing, wet your fingers with water and continue making the crust.
- the crust can be made ahead, cooled, and covered. I've read crusts can be frozen too.
- four minutes is awhile to beat the eggs and zest, but so worth what waits on the other side! Some zest wraps around the beaters. I detangle and save the goodness.
- I've made this pie with key limes and my gosh, four bags of zesting and juicing those tiny things later, I vowed to never again. The pie was amazing and sucker punched us in a different way, but limes are darn close. I never say never though, so may crave a change.
- The amount of tart is up to you, for that reason, I include a range. One lime equals about 1.5 - 2 teaspoons of zest.
- for the best whipped cream, use a medium deep metal or glass bowl.
- place the bowl and beaters in the freezer for a minimum of fifteen minutes.
- whipped cream can be made early, covered, and refrigerated for up to a few hours.
- this pie can be whipped and stored in the refrigerated for up to one hour, but after, it begins to "weep" or release liquid.
Awesome, beautiful presentation ❤️
Thank you Mom. Love you so 💜