Florida Lime Pie

A wonderful summer dessert made with regular limes which are just as good and less expensive than Key Limes. Of course you can also use bottled key Lime juice if you have access to it or fresh key limes but you will need lots of them (16-18!)

1. The Recipe

   serves8-12

The Crust

1 ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

8 oz butter (salted or unsalted), melted

The Filling

1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk

1-2 tablespoons lime zest

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (5-6 regular limes)

2 large eggs

pinch salt

Topping

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Peheat the oven to 375 and place the crumbs and the sugar in a medium size bowl and stir together with a fork

2. Add the melted butter to the crumbs and toss the mixture with two forks or your fingers to incorporate the butter thoroughly

3. Press the crumbs into a 9 inch pie tin over the bottom and up the sides so that there is a small overlap around the edge of the pan

4. Bake the crust on the center rack of the oven until crisp and golden-12-ish minutes. Remove from oven and set aside…leave the oven on.

5. while the crust is baking, make the filling. Mix all the filling ingredients in a medium size bowl with a whisk and pour into the prebaked pie shell which has been set aide affter the initial bake

6. Bake the pie until the filling has set, 10-13 minutes then remove the pie from the oven and and increase the oven temp to 425.

7. Prepare the topping. Place all 3 ingredients for the topping in a small bowl and whisk together. Carefully spoon the topping over the pie, spreading it evenly and ever so lightly so it covers the surface

8. Return the pie to the oven and bake 5-7 minutes longer. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool on a rack then refrigerate for 4 or more hours before serving. Garnish with sliced lime or lime zest and dig in!

Adapted from Rosie’s All Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book published by Workman Publishing in 2011.