The Official Pie of Florida

All weaknesses aside, key lime pie is the one and only thing I will NEVER turn down! It's cool creaminess hits the spot on any warm summer day, which at the moment is getting the best of me with our relatively new A/C on the fritz....

I am not a frequent baker, but I've noticed through my posts I don't do it that often, and I've also found that I really enjoy it! You prep something with such anticipation, place it in the oven, and patiently wait to see if the image and flavor in your head comes out of the oven as expected! I decided another pie was in order, and given that's it's summer, what better than the Florida State Pie! I did some researching first to find just the right recipe and found something similar to what's below.The only thing I changed was the amount of sweetened condensed milk, eggs, key lime juice. I also a little history behind key lime pie! For example, I found that the traditional key lime pie is topped with meringue, and not whipped cream, because when it first started being made whipped cream wasn't feasible due to a lack of refrigeration, and that in 1965, legislation was proposed to fine anyone advertising key lime pie that's NOT made with key limes, which didn't pass.

The Recipe:
28oz sweetened condensed milk
8oz fresh key lime juice (Trust me. Don't cheat this one. Buy a bag of about 30 and juice them. It's tedious but the reward of their amazing flavor is worth it!)
6 egg yolks (save the whites in a separate bowl to make the meringue)
1 sleeve graham crackers, crumbed
1/4 stick (or so) unsalted butter, melted
3Tbsp sugar




The Crust:
Place the graham crackers in a zip seal bag and smash into crumbs. An eager little boy with the flat side of a meat mallet comes in handy here! Once the crackers have been reduced to crumbs, pour the melted butter over them while stirring. You want about the consistency of moist sand. A little more butter may be required, depending. Pour the mix into a pie plate and press down starting in the center and working your way to the sides, making it about 1/8 inch thick. The bottom of a heavy glass or your fist will work fine. Place in a 350f oven for 10-15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Let the crust cool in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.








The Filling:
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a large bowl. Drop in the yolks and combine well. Pour in the key lime juice and combine again. The filling will now thicken some, due to a chemical reaction called souring. Pour the filling into the cooled crust, and bake at 350f for 10 minutes, or until the jiggle has gone! Remove and cool.







The Meringue:
Put the reserved egg whites, plus 3Tbsp of sugar, into a medium bowl. Whip until you've reached stiff peaks. Pour onto the cooled pie, and either bake for another 5-10 minutes until browned, or allow your inner child to play with fire and use your kitchen blow torch! (Safety first of course! Follow all directions or your torch to the letter!) Either way your brown the meringue, cool again for half an hour to an hour before serving.


To serve, the pie pan may need to be dipped in warm water for a moment to loosen the crust. Slice, and serve! Hope you enjoy!! I know I did!!