Key Lime Pie

I loved Gourmet magazine. Loved being taken to different localities around the world and educating myself as to how others lived and ate.

The one issue I will not part with is the April 1990 issue. In it, is my most prized of recipes: Key Lime Pie with Almond Crumb Crust.

Yes, I like most any kind of Key Lime Pie and will not turn down a graham-cracker crusted one, but if you have the time and especially if you have a food processor, why not take the time to whirl some zweiback toast, blanched almonds, and crush some key limes? You’ll amaze yourself and others with the flavorful return on invested time. Here’s what you need to make your Key Lime Pie, courtesy of Gourmet magazine. If you’d rather print this from epicurious, click here.

Key Lime Pie with Almond Crumb Crust

Servings (six for Key Lime Pie abusers, eight for the rest of you)
Time: all in, about 3 hours, but this includes an hour of baking and 2 hours (a must) to chill
Difficulty: worth any difficulty
Credit: Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:

For the crust 

1 cup zweiback crumbs (I used Jacobson’s) or in a pinch graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup blanced almonds, toastly lightly, cooled completely, and ground fine in a food processor (I did 30 seconds in microwave, stir, and another 30 seconds in microwave and ta-dah, the almonds toasted).
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar

For the filling

3 large eggs, separated (with whites saved in a separate bowl at room temperature. See below)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Key lime juice (available bottled) or freshly squeezed Key limes (my preference, especially if you have a lime juicer. If you choose this method, you’ll need about two bags of key limes – yes, you read that correctly). If in a pinch, ok, yeah, you can use fresh lime juice (about 3 regular limes).

For the meringue

3 large egg whites
1/3 cup sugar

To make the crust:

I used a food processor but you can use a bowl. First, whirl zweiback to crumb texture. Remove from food processor and place in an empty bowl. Put the toasted almonds in the food processor, whirl until they are finely ground. Add the zweiback crumbs back in as well as the melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Mix until blended. Press the mixture onto the bottom and side of a 10-inch pie plate, and bake the shell in the middle of a preheated 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, or until it is browned lightly. Let the shell cool on a rack.

In a separate bowl, crush your Key limes until you have a 1/2 cup’s worth.

In a large, separate bowl (I used a mixer) beat the yolks with the condensed milk and stir in the lime juice, a little at a time, stirring to combine the filling well. Spoon the filling into the shell and chill the pie for 1 hour.

When an hour has passed, in another bowl (I cleaned my mixer’s bowl), beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar, beating 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat the meringue until it holds stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the filling and bake the pie in the middle of a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is just golden.

Chill the pie for 2 hours.

Bon Appetit!