Key lime pie is Kate's specialty, though she's the sort who only tiptoes toward the oven if her homework is done, her mom is on hand and her gecko's been fed. She relies on the classic construction: bottle, box and can.
Inspired by Kate, I aim for a pie that's tart and true. I start by dispensing with bottle, box and can.
Snubbing the pre-squeeze, I slice open a lime and twist it against the juicer, yielding one drip. The Key lime is about as big, and hard, as the pingpong ball. To squeeze ½ cup juice, I crush 25 pingpong balls. My stinging fingers beg for a break. Maybe to pet the gecko.
Ignoring the graham crackers, I try crust creativity — butter pastry; crushed pecan; gingersnap. Too short, too soggy, too spicy. I wonder if the gecko likes leftovers.
Now to muddle through the middle. Key lime pie gets its wiggle from the alchemy of citrus meeting condensed milk. Still, I harbor doubts about milk trapped in a can. I try alternatives — cream, which sogs; custard, which curdles; caramel, which works, after a 90-minute workout.
I invite Kate and her mom to taste test. Kate bites and asks: "Do we have to finish?"
Later, when even the gecko is asleep, I try Kate's recipe. And admire the hasty, tasty results.
Key lime pie
Prep: 45 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Cool: 3 hours
Serves: 8
Shell:
1 ¼ cups crushed graham crackers
5 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
Filling:
4 egg yolks
1 ¼ cups sweetened condensed milk (one 14-ounce can)*
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest
½ cup lime juice squeezed from 1 pound (about 25) Key limes or 3-4 standard (Persian) limes
Topping:
1 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Bake:To make shell, stir together crushed graham crackers, melted butter and sugar with a fork. Press firmly along the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees until crisp and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Cool a little.
Mix:
To make filling, whisk together all filling ingredients. Pour into shell. Bake at 325 degrees until just set, about 15 minutes. Cool on a rack. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
Whip:
Whip cream, sugar and vanilla to sturdy peaks. Spread over the chilled pie. Enjoy.
Provenance:
The classic, after much trial and error.
*If you're feeling terribly Little-House-on-the-Prairie you can make your own sweetened condensed milk, also known as dulce de leche, by pouring 1 quart whole milk and 1 cup sugar into a large, wide pot. Heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring now and then, until thick, sweet and tan-colored, about 11/2 hours.
Leah Eskin is a Tribune Newspapers special contributor. Email her at leahreskin@aol.com
