For the Crust:- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick butter) melted
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients together. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of pie pan or muffin tins, making sure there is enough on the sides of the pan/tins.
- Bake in oven until brown, about 15-20 minutes.
- Lower oven temperature to 425 degrees.
Filling:
- 2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
- 1 cup key lime, with 1 tbsp zest
- 4 egg yolks
- In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, zest and egg yolks until well blended, and add the condensed milk.
- Whisk until well combined.
- Put filling in the cooled shell, and bake in oven for 15 minutes. Place in the refrigerator and allow the pies to chill for at least 2 hours.
Topping:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- Before serving, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Sprinkle in the sugar while beating, and drizzle in the lime juice and vanilla extract.
- After you have achieved the desired consistency, fold and mix in the lime zest.
Serve on a plate with more fresh lime zest grated over the pie/plate for an extra burst of flavor, and let the pie take you away from the cold wintery dreadfulness of Michigan!