Key Lime Pie

I seem to be trying a lot of Ina Garten's recipes lately. Probably because they are usually quite good, always seem to work, and adapt well to my constant tweaking!

I tried this recipe without changing a thing, a rare and noteworthy event. I still ended up tweaking it a bit!

Ina Garten's Frozen Key Lime Pie

adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature (if you have only large eggs, just use an extra yolk)
1/4 cup sugar 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 regular limes, about 20 key limes)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

Filling: beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

Freeze for several hours or overnight (it really needs at least 8 hours in the freezer).

Thoughts: this is a good recipe - lots of flavor, and great texture. Very refreshing on a hot summer day. That being said, the next time I make this, I will NOT use the lime zest if I use key limes - it's just way too much lime (and I'm a citrus lover). If you use regular limes, I would recommend that you include the zest - regular limes are not as tart or intense as key limes.