Valerie Aikman Smiths Key Lime Pie Recipes

KEY LIME PIE MARTINI

Steps:

• Rub a lime wedge around the rims of two martini glasses.
• Place the graham cracker crumbs in a small saucer. Dip the rims of the glasses in the crumbs to coat. Freeze for 5 to 10 minutes, while preparing the drink.
• Combine the vodka, vanilla liqueur, lime juice, orange juice and coconut creamer in a cocktail shaker filled with ice (don't worry if the mixture looks curdled!). Cover and shake vigorously until well chilled, about 30 seconds. Strain into the chilled martini glasses and garnish with lime wedges. Serve immediately.

VALERIE AIKMAN-SMITH'S KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Crust: In a food processor, combine graham crackers and sugar and process until crackers are reduced to crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse until well combined.
• Pour crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and press it evenly over bottom and sides of pan. Bake until golden, 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.
• Filling and topping: In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk until blended. Pour in lime juice and whisk until well combined and smooth. Pour into cooled piecrust.
• Bake pie until filling is set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Just before serving, pour cream into a bowl. Using a handheld mixer, beat cream until stiff peaks form.
• Pile cream on top of cold pie, sprinkle with coconut flakes, and garnish with lime zest. Cut into wedges to serve.

KEY LIME TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process graham crackers and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs form; add butter. Process until combined. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; pat into bottom and up sides. Place pan on a baking sheet, and bake until crust is fragrant and slightly colored, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, lime juice, egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and salt; whisk until smooth. Pour mixture into crust (warm or cool is fine), leaving 1/8 inch at the top; return to oven. Bake until filling is set around edge but still slightly loose in center, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool completely at room temperature; then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Serve, garnished with zest, if desired.

KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• For the Crust: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine graham-cracker crumbs, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl; mix well. Press into a 9-inch pie plate, and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.
• For the Filling: Lower oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, key lime juice, and zest. Pour into the prepared, cooled crust.
• Return pie to oven, and bake until the center is set but still quivers when the pan is nudged, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the Whipped Cream Topping: Shortly before serving, combine cream and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon over cooled pie and serve immediately.
• For the Meringue Topping: Add topping shortly before serving. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Pipe or spread meringue on pie, making sure it touches the crust all around. Use a kitchen blowtorch to brown meringue all over.

KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the crust: Crush the graham crackers in a food processor or a resealable plastic bag. Pour them into a bowl and stir in the melted butter and sugar. Press the mixture into a pie pan and bake until golden and set, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the filling: Mix the condensed milk, lime zest, lime juice and egg yolks in the bowl of a mixer and mix on high until smooth and thick.
• Pour the mixture into the crust and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour -- more if possible.
• Serve with whipped cream.

VEGAN KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Put the coconut milk in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth, breaking up any large chunks. Add the cashews and make sure they are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate until the cashews are extremely soft, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread the coconut in an even layer in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the flakes are golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool, about 5 minutes.
• To make the crust, pulse the graham crackers, pecans, salt, 1/2 cup of the coconut and 1/4 cup of the agave in a food processor until fine crumbs form, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture comes together and resembles wet sand.
• Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie pan and press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick border. Use the bottom and sides of a measuring cup to press and form the crust to make sure it is even. Bake until the crust is just golden and slightly puffy, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Drain the cashews, add to a blender and pulse to a coarse meal, about 1 minute. Add the key lime juice, coconut cream, cornstarch, lime zest and remaining 1/2 cup agave and blend until completely smooth and no longer gritty from the cashews. Pour the filling into the cooled crust and gently tap a few times on the counter to release the bubbles. Refrigerate until set, 6 hours and up to overnight.
• Just before serving, garnish the pie with the remaining toasted coconut flakes and some lime slices.

COCONUT-KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together condensed milk, coconut milk, lime juice, and egg yolks until smooth. Pour into crust and bake until set but still slightly wobbly in center, 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then refrigerate 3 hours (or up to 1 day).
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar on high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. To serve, top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
• Whizz 300g Hob Nobs to crumbs in a food processor (or put in a strong plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin).
• Mix with 150g melted butter and press into the base and up the sides of a 22cm loose-based tart tin. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
• Put 3 medium egg yolks in a large bowl and whisk for a minute with electric beaters.
• Add a can of condensed milk and whisk for 3 minutes, then add the finely grated zest and juice of 4 limes and whisk again for 3 minutes.
• Pour the filling into the cooled base then put back in the oven for 15 minutes. Cool then chill for at least 3 hours or overnight if you like. When you are ready to serve, carefully remove the pie from the tin and put on a serving plate.
• To decorate, softly whip together 300ml double cream and 1 tbsp icing sugar.
• Dollop or pipe the cream onto the top of the pie and finish with extra lime zest.

KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine graham-cracker crumbs, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl; mix well. Press into a 9-inch pie plate, and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.
• Lower oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, Key lime juice, and zest. Pour into the prepared, cooled crust.
• Return pie to oven, and bake until the center is set but still quivers when the pan is nudged, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Shortly before serving, combine cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon over cooled pie; garnish with zest. Serve immediately.