"Black Key Lime Pie" or "Palm Trees, Flat Broke Disease"

Warning*: If you're at the gym bouncing around the elliptical trying to beat those winter blues and you notice through the giant window that it's started snowing again AND it just so happens the Black Keys are on your ipod playing slide guitar and crooning about palm trees, you might start to seriously cry your eyes out crave key lime pie. Be ready, have that pie whipped up and IN YOUR FRIDGE before you step foot in a gym. Do not be caught unprepared.

*= most likely only applies to me

Key lime pie is probably the easiest pie ever. In fact I think when they came up with the phrase "easy as pie" it was Key Lime they were talking about. But there's a proviso. Key lime pie (or rather tarted up lime pie since it's rarely made with real key limes by your average home cook) needs to rest like rip van winkle in the fridge to set for like 8 hours (Ugh, custards) so if you were planing on depending on it for emotional support, you might need to plan ahead. Or get a time machine. Or a fridge with a time machine function ( wouldn't that be awesome to have?!).

I know, I know but that's lime zest . It's delicious I swear.

 In the meantime while that lovely pie is setting, why not listen to the Black Keys and pretend you're in a sunny place by the ocean and that your problems are anything but snow related...





Gourmet | May 2003

Black Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
for the crust

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the pie

• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make crust:

In a large bowl mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and  melted butter until combined well, then, (using your hands) press mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (4-cup) glass pie plate.

Bake the crust in middle of oven for 10 minutes and cool in pie plate on a rack. (Leave  the oven on the next step won't take that long)

Make delicious tangy filling and bake pie:

 In a large bowl whisk together your egg yolks and condensed milk until it's combined and smooth. Add the lime juice and whisk until combined (the filling will thicken slightly).

Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack (filling will set as it cools), then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Serve pie topped with whipped cream and a little lime zest if you're feeling froggy.


Serves 8, or six if you're greedy (like me)