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December 11, 2012

Key Lime Pie on a Stick

One of the great things about travel is getting to try new and unfamiliar foods. Before we arrived in Florida people told us that we must have some Key Lime Pie. Everyone had a lot to say about where to get the best pie, and we knew proper Key Lime Pie wasn’t bright green. It should be a creamy color and not full of green food coloring as some of the pies are, especially for tourists.

While we were wandering down a road in Key West I saw a sign for Key Lime Pie on a Stick.

“Let’s buy one,” I said to my husband.

Key Lime Pie on Stick

And yes, I know you won’t have any idea what it looked like since we only thought of a photo when we were almost finished eating the Key Lime Pie on a Stick. I can tell you that it was delicious. Key Lime Pie on a Stick is, as the name suggests, a piece of Key Lime Pie dipped in a thick layer of chocolate. The pie itself is tart and very limey, sort of catch your breath tart but definitely delicious.

The secret is the special Key Limes, which are smaller than the limes you’re probably familiar with.

Once we arrived home I decided to try my hand at a Key Lime Pie, using the limes off our own tree. After searching for recipes I decided on Jamie Oliver’s recipe.

Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie

To make the crust:

• 12 digestive biscuits
• 45g caster sugar (1 oz)
• 135g melted butter (1/2 cup)

Crush the biscuits, add the sugar and the butter. Press mixture into a greased pie tin. Spread up the sides of the tin too. Bake for 10 minutes at 175 C/ 350 F or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven to cool.

To make the filling:

• 4 egg yolks
• 400ml condensed milk – this is one tin in New Zealand
• 6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
• Lime zest (optional), to serve

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and gradually add the condensed milk. Mix in the lime juice and pour the mixture into the baked pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes and cool. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Decorate with grated lime zest and whipped cream if desired.

Shelley’s Notes:

1. I added lime zest and some of the flesh of the lime to my pie filling to make it sharper.

2. When you’re cooking the base, make sure you don’t use a spring form tin because butter will leak out the bottom. I speak with the voice of experience. My oven was a mess!

3. This pie was delicious, although not as sharp to the palate as the original Key Lime Pie.

Key Lime Pie Slice

Have you tried Key Lime Pie before? Do you like to try new and unfamiliar foods?

17 Comments

  1. Maria

    Key lime pie – I’d often wondered what it was and I think it’s what we call cheesecake in Ireland. Similar anyway.

    As I now live in India, I get to try new foods every so often. The most unusual one I ever ate was a type of savoury cake made of boiled pulse beans. With the right chutney’s it’s really quite delicious. It’s from a place in India called Gujarat and it’s called dhokla.

    • Shelley Munro

      Hi Maria,

      Yes, it’s very like a cheese cake and the condensed milk makes it quite sweet. The sharpness of the lime offsets the sweet.

      I adore Indian food and tried quite a few dishes when we visited. India has been the only place we’ve visited where I, as a vegetarian, could choose just about anything off the menu. Works for me! Actually India is one of my favorite travel destinations.

  2. Mary Kirkland

    I love trying new foods. Key Lime Pie is really good. But I like most pies, cakes, candy’s ect. I have an insatiable sweet tooth. lol

    • Shelley Munro

      Mary, I inherited a sweet tooth from my father. That’s my excuse anyway.
      Dad still loves his sweets even at 83, and my sister says he doesn’t share!

      • Mary Kirkland

        LOL I don’t share unless I have more than my piece.

  3. Jennifer Shirk

    Oh, YUMMM!!!!

    But what are “digestive biscuits”?

    • Shelley Munro

      Digestive biscuits are English biscuits and they contain whole flour. You could use any sweet plain biscuit/cookie from the supermarket instead. I used a biscuit we call gingernuts, which is quite gingery and that worked okay.

  4. Julie Jarnagin

    I love key lime pie. Delicious!

    • Shelley Munro

      I have to say that I’m a new fan :)

  5. Carol Kilgore

    I like key lime pie. Husband LOVES it! Yours looks good :)

    • Shelley Munro

      Thanks, Carol. I was quite pleased with the final result.

  6. Savannah Chase

    You always know how to make me hungry with all the yummy goodies you post…

    • Shelley Munro

      Are you still on your diet? I have to say that my love of baking doesn’t reside well with the need to diet. I’m at constant war with myself!

  7. Kaye Manro

    I love Key Lime pie! I’ve never had it on a stick though. Sounds tempting!

  8. Heather

    Love love love key lime pie!

  9. Angela Brown

    I’m willing to give some new things a try lol! Not the best “open minded” palette in the world, though :-)

    My daughter had her first pieced of key lime pie this past Thanksgiving and loved it. I was surprised since she’s much pickier than me.

    • Shelley Munro

      But who doesn’t like pie?