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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

A Trip To The Keys For A Little Pie...

Happy National Pie Day! If you too would love to participate, please just click on the picture above....then thank dear Tammy for getting this all together!

Key Lime Pie originated in Key West, Florida by the local residents referred to as "Conchs". The original version was made before the days of refrigeration. There were no cattle in the area so the only milk available was canned milk originally brought in by ship, later by train. This is why the recipe uses canned milk and not fresh. Also, the traditional key lime pie would not be cooked. The acid from the lime juice would set and thicken the egg yolks. Because of the potential of Salmonella bacteria it is best to cook the dessert and bring the yolks up to a temperature of at least 110 degrees.

Key lime pie is a dessert made of key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a pie crust. The pie is topped with meringue, then baked until the meringue is a golden brown. Some key lime pies use other types of whipped toppings or none at all. The dish is named after the small key limes that are naturalized throughout the Florida Keys. Their thorns make them less tractable, their thin yellow rind makes them more perishable, but they are more tart and aromatic than the common Persian limes seen year round in most U.S. grocery stores.

Key lime pie is made with canned sweetened condensed milk, since fresh milk was not a common commodity in the Florida Keys before modern refrigerated distribution methods.

Key lime juice, unlike regular lime juice, is a pale yellow. The filling in key lime pie is also yellow, largely due to the egg yolks. Some cooks add food coloring to give the pie filling a green color. This practice is frowned upon by those who make traditional key lime pies.

During mixing, a reaction between the condensed milk and the acidic lime juice occurs which causes the filling to thicken on its own without requiring baking. Many early recipes for key lime pie did not instruct the cook to ever bake the pie, relying on this chemical reaction to produce the proper consistency of the filling. Today, in the interest of safety due to consumption of raw eggs, pies of this nature are usually baked for a short time. The baking also thickens the texture even more than the reaction alone.

Easy, Schmeasy Key Lime Pie

Stuff You Need... 4 large or extra large egg yolks 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice (approximately 12 Key limes) 2 teaspoons grated lime peel, green portion only Whipping Cream For Garnish (Optional) 1/2 cup whipping cream 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

How To Do It... Use an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow, don't over mix. Turn the mixer off and add the sweetened condensed milk. Turn speed to low and mix in half of the lime juice. Once the juice is incorporated add the other half of the juice and the zest, continue to mix until blended (just a few seconds). Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for 12 minutes to set the yolks and kill any salmonella in the eggs. Eatin' It... If you are using the whipping cream garnish, prepare the cream. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream. Now, I must tell you there are absolutely NO calories in this pie. It will reduce your level of bad cholesterol, improve your blood sugar, give your complexion a lovely glow, your hair a silken sheen and remove wrinkles. It will cure arthritis and hammer toes and dandruff. It could aid in establishing world peace and intensify your love life. BUT if none of these things actually happen, I CAN promise that a bite will make you smile and say, "Awwwwww....." Happy National Pie Day! Now, go make a pie! Love and Hugs, Susie Q

33 comments:

Rosemary said...

Yummy! One of my favorite pies.
Maybe I should try it.
Rosemary

Andi said...

Love Key Lime pie!!! I had no idea it was National Pie Day. I feel the need to go bake one!!!

Anonymous said...

Drooling here gal!
Don't forget to link this to my Mr Linky tomorrow!

I love the way you did this!!!!!!

Jill LaFaye said...

Yippee! for National Pie Day! I think I will try this recipe:) Sounds yummy.

Sandra Evertson said...

Can you see me, I tried to reach right into the computer to steal that beautiful pie!
Sandra Evertson

Anonymous said...

That is one of my favorite. Anything with tang I love.

Tara said...

This looks yummy and easy--thanks!

Andi said...

I forgot to mention...I LOVE your new Valentine banner...so pretty and pink!

I posted my pie recipe but haven't a clue how to link it to Tammy's Mr Linky tomorrow.

Sheila said...

One of my favourite pies Sue. I adore condensed milk, I could spoon it right out of the can, and do..!
I'm so glad it's good for me..! LOL
Big hugs

xx

Sheila said...

BTW..the new banner is G.R.E.A.T..!!!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I love Key Lime pie....we used to get it all the time when we lived in Florida...I never made it though! Thanks for the recipe..
Hugs,
Penny

BittersweetPunkin said...

I just cannot get away....I have been to 3 blogs so far that talked about pie!!!!!

Maybe I should just make one and get it over with!
Hugs,
Robin

Terri Steffes said...

I LOVE KEY LIME PIE. But, I have to eat it on a open porch in a southern state or it isn't the same. :( I love your header. Where have I been? I have had strep, did I crash and forget the blogger world?

Melissa said...

I love key lime pie, but in the interest of my waist line, I usually settle for the Yoplait version.

Sandi McBride said...

I love Key lime pie...LOVE IT!!! Lots of pie recipes to copy and paste today, huh! Mine is Buttermilk Pie
hugs
Sandi

bj said...

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE I love Key Lime Pie. I've never made one...too scared. I just buy those to die for ones at the groc. store. HOWEVER, with your recipe sounding easy, I am going to give it a whirl.....
hugs, bj

Cheryl Wray said...

I have made almost this exact recipe before. YUMMMY!!!!!

I guess I need to go find me a piece of pie!!!!!

(and btw...I LOVE your new lovey-dovey banner!!)

Mary said...

The Key Lime Pie sounds delicious and is one of hubby's favorites. Thanks for the recipe. The only time he gets Key Lime Pie is when we are in Florida. I really should make him one now that I have a recipe.

Blessings,
Mary

LivingTheLife said...

Yummmmyyy! When will you be serving this pie...today? Cos...I can hop a plane, ya know! I do love the key lime pie...it is so tart though that sometimes I have to share parts of the pie...isn't that just sad...I mean seriously shouldn't I be able to eat the whole thing!

LOVE your new banner...Oh! and yesterday's blog...thanks for the fun facts...and YES I will sleep like a log tonight...thanks!

Blessings...
Teresa

BittersweetPunkin said...

LOVE your new header!

Angela said...

Anything that has lime or lemon I'm all over it *giggles*.
Thanks for sharing..
Have a wonderfrul day!!

Anonymous said...

If I were holding a contest...which I'm not...but if I were...I would have to say your pie entry is the most humorous of all I've read so far today...but then that's my Susie Q!!

Thanks for participating.

Here's to more pie!!

Hope said...

Sounds so yummy! I love that you gave the history behind the pie! Thanks for sharing! Come by and visit me sometime! I have been lurking on your blog for a long time now and have even posted a few times! I enjoy reading about you and your family and love your sense of humor!

Hugs,
Hope

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

I don't need the ingredients for this pie. I've decided I need a trip to the Florida Keys so that I might experience a much more "natural" key-lime-pie-preparing ritual for myself. There's no substitution for actual experience, right? And there's no real substitution for the Florida Keys either. So I'm packing my bags. Meet me in Tallahassee and we'll drive down together the rest of the way. Come on...What do 'ya say? lol


:)
Kari

Kari (GrannySkywalker) said...

Meant to mention when I was here before that I really like your new header/banner. Very pretty and timely, missy. And if I wasn't so old and forgetful, I would have said this in my previous comment. But it wasn't until I saw a banner on someone else's blog that I remembered that I wanted to tell you how much I liked yours. Yeah. I'm a dork.

Indigo Robe said...

hahaha, I chose Key Lime Pie too but...

LOVE your hearts on the header! TOOOO pretty!

Have a wonderful day!

Margie

Shelley said...

Thank you for your kind and friendly comments in my blog! Its so nice to meet new friends.

Key lime pie is one of the best ever invented. There is just something about that sweet-tart flavor that makes my taste buds go..."oh boy!"

What a pretty blog you have. So festive and cheerful. I'll be back!

Mary Isabella and Kiley too! said...

I love your banner!!!Have a great evening...Mary

Valerie said...

momma loves her some Key Lime Pie.

does Weight Watchers make one?

Anonymous said...

Hi Sue, we LOVE key lime pie!! We need to bake this one for sure. National Pie Day, how cute!! Love your new banner Sue, sweet :) Jenn and Jacqui

Alice said...

Yum! I've never made a key lime pie. You've made it look easy. What I wouldn't give for a piece this very minute.

Content in E TN said...

found your blog today - thoroughly enjoyed it -- I needed a lift today and your site did it. I really like the Valentine banner.

Gretchen said...

Only you could make me crave something I otherwise would never think about. I'm usually all about the chocolate, but that key lime looks sublime. Mmmmmm