Key Lime Pie – Lime Tart

A soft, creamy, lime-flavored filling and a crisp meringue on top. Those are the hallmarks of this pie. I fell in love with it :) I don't know how you feel about lemony/tart desserts, but I get addicted to them. If I try just a little piece, I immediately have to reach for one more, and then another. Seriously, I have to hold myself back from eating the whole pie. My hips wouldn't survive it ;) It was the same with the lemon soufflé, the lemon cake, the strawberry tart, the cherry one, the macarons, and it was the same with this pie too, so I quickly, though reluctantly ;) gave away almost the whole thing to save myself from temptation. I recommend it to all lovers of tangy desserts.

Key Lime Pie, Lime Tart

Before I get to the recipe, one more note. The author of the original recipe points out that you should use Milchmädchen condensed milk for the filling. I had no trouble finding it, but many of you might. I compared this milk with regular condensed milk for coffee. It has a higher fat content – 9%. The milk was thick and creamy, not runny like cream. In one of the comments on the recipe, someone wrote that they used cornstarch to thicken the filling. Maybe that would be a solution too?

Key Lime Pie, Lime Tart

Source: USA Kulinarisch

Directions:
Crush the cookies very finely, e.g. in a blender, add the remaining ingredients and quickly mix everything until it turns into crumbs. Line a 24 cm tart pan with the crumb mixture, including the sides, pressing lightly so the crust holds together well.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Whisk the egg yolks, add the condensed milk and lime juice, and mix well. Pour the filling onto the crust and bake for about 20 minutes. Beat the egg whites, adding the sugar toward the end, and keep beating until you get a glossy meringue. Spread it over the baked pie however you like and bake for another 10-15 minutes until lightly browned, or put it under the broiler. If you want the meringue to stay white, bake it at a slightly lower temperature.

Additional notes:

If you plan to cover the whole pie with meringue, use the amount of egg whites and sugar given in the ingredients. If you only cover part of it, as I did, half of the ingredients is enough.

The cookie-crumb crust is great for other cakes and desserts. You can bake it, but you can also serve it cold, e.g. as the base of a cheesecake.

Enjoy!