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.