So Fine Key Lime Pie
Submitted by [email protected]
Lightened key lime pie made with fat-free condensed milk, gelatin, and whipped skim evaporated milk. Graham crust, tart lime filling, and tiny piped meringues perched on lime slices.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minClassic key lime pie skews rich because of the full-fat sweetened condensed milk at its heart. This version trims the calories without sacrificing the tang by swapping in fat-free condensed milk, adding gelatin for structure, and folding in whipped skim evaporated milk for the cloud-like lightness a traditional pie gets from heavy cream.
The whipped skim evaporated milk is the clever part. Chilled dead cold and beaten hard, it doubles in volume and holds soft peaks almost like whipped cream, with a fraction of the fat. Fold it into the gelatin-stabilized lime base and you get a filling that sets firm enough to slice but stays mousselike on the tongue.
A graham-cracker crust with a whisper of cinnamon rounds out the pie. Made with light butter and baked briefly, it holds its shape under the filling without adding the heaviness of a standard crust.
The miniature meringues are what lift this pie from a simple reduced-fat riff into something worth serving to company. Egg whites whipped stiff with sugar and piped into small dollops, baked low and slow until crisp, are perched on thin lime slices and arranged around the edge of the finished pie. They go crisp on the outside and marshmallow-soft in the middle.
Pro Tips
- Chill the evaporated milk thoroughly before whipping. Warm milk won’t increase in volume.
- Use the double-boiler method patiently. Let the egg mixture thicken slowly rather than pushing the heat and scrambling it.
- Pipe the meringues with a snipped plastic bag if you don’t have a pastry tip. The result is rustic but even.
- Refrigerate the assembled pie at least four hours before serving. Less and the gelatin hasn’t set firm.
Variations
- Use regular sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream in place of the fat-free versions for a more traditional version.
- Swap the graham cracker crust for a crushed gingersnap base to pair with the lime tartness.
- Skip the mini meringues and top with a thin layer of whipped cream spread to the edges for a simpler finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Pie: In small bowl sprinkle gelatin over lime juice. Let stand until softened, 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve gelatin.
In large heat resistant bowl beat whole egg and yolk with electric mixer until thick and lemon colored, about 5 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and condensed milk. Beat on low speed just to mix.
In medium saucepan bring 2 cups water to simmer over medium-high heat. Place bowl with egg mixture over saucepan, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Stir egg mixture over simmering water until heated through and thickened, about 10 minutes. Do not let egg mixture boil.
Remove bowl from over saucepan. Cool mixture in bowl. Refrigerate just until mixture begins to set. Beat again with mixer at high speed until light and creamy.
In small bowl, beat chilled evaporated skim milk with electric mixer until double in volume. Fold into gelatin mixture with lime zest, if using, until thoroughly combined.
Pour mixture into pie crust. Refrigerate until set.
Meringues: Preheat oven to 275 oF. Cover baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. In medium bowl beat egg white and salt until stiff peaks form. Beat in 3 tablespoons of the sugar gradually until very stiff. Fold in remaining tablespoon sugar and vanilla.
Spoon meringue mixture into a sealable plastic bag. Seal. Snip about ¼ inch diagonally from one bottom corner. Squeeze bag gently over prepared baking sheet to force out small dollops of meringue, ¾ inch in diameter. Make dollops until mixture is all used, about 10.
Bake meringues 40 minutes until dry to touch and lightly colored. With spatula, lift meringues from paper while still warm. Store in airtight container at room temperature or freeze tightly in sealed freezer bag. Use as desired.
To serve, arrange lime slices around pie. Top each lime slice with a meringue.
Crumb Pie Crust: In a small bowl or food processor, thoroughly mix 1 cup low-fat graham-cracker crumbs and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix in 3 tablespoons softened light butter until well incorporated. Coat 9-inch pie plate with nonstick butter-flavored cooking spray. Press crumb mixture over bottom and up side of a plate. Bake in 375 oF oven for about 8 minutes or until firm and lightly colored.
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