Palm Springs Key Lime Pie

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers or 3/4 cup vanilla cookie crumbs
• 3/4 cup crushed graham wafers or 3/4 cup graham wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup margarine or 1/4 cup butter
• vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 10 1/2 fluid ounces sweetened condensed milk (borden eagle brand suggested)
• 4 drops green food coloring
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Recipe

• 1 pie crust-----------.
• 2 in a mixing bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, graham wafer crumbs and finely chopped pecans.
• 3 pecans can be processed in a food processor.
• 4 reserve 1/2 cup of vanilla/graham wafer mixture to be used on top of pie.
• 5 add margarine or butter to mixture and blend with a pastry blender or fork.
• 6 prepare a 9 inch oven proof pie dish by spraying with a vegetable spray, then dusting lightly with flour.
• 7 shake off any excess flour off pie dish and discard (this prevents the shell from sticking to the dish when baked).
• 8 spoon wafer mixture into pie dish; press evenly to bottom and sides using a rounded soup spoon.
• 9 place pie dish in freezer compartment for at least 30 minutes to cool and firm up.
• 10 filling-----------.
• 11 place eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes before cracking and separating.
• 12 separate eggs, and make sure that the egg whites do not have any yolk.
• 13 if any egg yolk accidentally gets into the egg whites, take a piece of bread and dip it over the yolk and this should remove it.
• 14 in a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth.
• 15 add lime juice, grated lime zest, condensed milk, green food coloring and whisk until well blended.
• 16 in a separate bowl, beat egg whites until frothy; add cream of tartar and beat until egg whites form soft peaks.
• 17 add sugar gradually, beating continuously until stiff peaks form.
• 18 gently fold the beaten egg whites into the milk mixture using a spatula until incorporated.
• 19 preheat oven to 375 f degrees.
• 20 pour filling mixture into cooled pie shell and level.
• 21 sprinkle top with reserved wafer/pecan mixture.
• 22 bake in preheated 375 f oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• 23 remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• 24 refrigerate pie for at least 1 hour before serving.
• 25 topping-----------.
• 26 in a medium size chilled mixing bowl or a 2 cup measure, whip 1/2 cup whipping cream until the cream just starts to thicken.
• 27 add vanilla extract and beat for a few seconds.
• 28 add sugar gradually, beating continously until thickened.
• 29 do not overbeat, otherwise you will form butter.
• 30 just before serving, decorate pie with whipped cream to your liking.
• 31 for a nice presentation, slice about 4 thin slices of lime, cut one edge of the slice, twist slightly and push into pie in 4 areas.
• 32 place a dollop of whipped cream in front and back of the projecting slice of lime.