key lime pie

i just made my first key lime pie....but it was really a science experiment. i had no idea there are only 3 ingredients in the filling: key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. i didn't have to make a custard or anything! key limes are a lot smaller than regular limes...i'd say smaller than a golf ball. i found this recipe in an old issue of bon appetit magazine. all you do is mix in a bowl (whisk no need for an electric beater) and pour it in. 18 minutes later the pie is done. well not done...ready to go in the fridge. i found a few other recipes and they were all different ratios of the same ingredients.

i got excellent reviews from everyone who tasted it. my brother asked about the color because he expected it to be green...but i didn't want to add any food coloring. i had a few issues with the crust...mostly because i didn't measure the 1 1/4 cups of graham cracker crumbs and because i used a 9.5 inch pie plate. the first time the crust was too thin...the second time the crust was too thick. i'm not too frustrated though because this was all good practice. i think i'll get it right next time.

i fully intended to make the passion fruit coulis and huckleberry compote that were included in the recipe...but i had a few technical difficulties. good thing too because the sweet crispy graham cracker crust went so well with the cool, tart creamy filling, i didn't want anything else to get in the way!

from september 06 issue of bon appetit

crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

filling
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. combine cracker crumbs, sugar and salt in medium bowl. add butter and stir until crumbs are moist. press mixture onto bottom and sides of 9-inch glass pie dish. bake crust until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. cool crust completely. maintain oven temp.

whisk sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. pour filling into cooled crust. bake pie until filling is set, about 18 minutes. transfer to rack and cool to room temp. cover and refrigerate pie overnight.