My Madison Bistro

A few months back, my mom came to visit me. While she was here, she started paging through my cookbook collection, and writing down a few recipes that she was interested in trying. I encouraged her to definitely try any of Ina’s recipes, as they never seem to fail. I was not surprised to see my mom pick out this recipe for Frozen Key Lime Pie, as it’s probably safe to say that Key Lime Pie is her very favorite pie.

She made this pie during the height of citrus season. My family was having a party, and I was responsible for the desserts. However, whenever we make plans during the middle of winter, no one can ever be sure until the last minute if I will be able to make the trip, thanks to our unpredictable Wisconsin weather. And though I was planning on making these Lemon Tarts with Raspberries, my mom and I thought it best to have a backup plan in case my desserts simply weren’t able to make it to the party. The result was an absolutely delicious take on an American favorite. This pie has the play on sweetness and tartness that you’d expect from a key lime pie, but with an interesting twist. And if you’re thinking for just a moment that perhaps you’ll try this pie at room temperature…don’t. My mom sent a piece back with me, and though I had it in a cooler, two and a half hours later, my piece of pie was a puddle.

Frozen Key Lime Pie
recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 limes)

For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Thin lime wedges

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

For the decoration, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

Tags: Barefoot Contessa, fruit

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