Thursday, July 14, 2011

Icebox Key Lime Pie -- absolutely scrumptious

When you eat a piece of Icebox Key Lime Pie (click for the recipe), it’s hard not to exclaim with joy or sit back, close your eyes and savour the taste.
   My husband and I did these actions alternately each time we ate a piece of this easy-to-make dessert.
   It was absolutely scrumptious, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Make this for a summer family get-together, and people will be convinced you have magic powers. You will be asked for the recipe.
   The recipe is from Cook’s Country magazine, which explains that icebox key lime pie used to be made from eggs that weren’t cooked.
   The magazine’s editors were after a recipe that would have the same smooth, custardy texture as the original without using uncooked eggs.
   The solution the recipe developer devised is a combination of instant vanilla pudding mix, sweetened condensed milk and unflavored gelatin.
   The solution is a stroke of genius. This pie is smooth as silk and not at all runny.
   Plus, because of the vanilla pudding mix aspect, the pie is an absolute snap to make.
   The recipe I linked to above is on a recipe-sharing site. It is exactly the same as the one I used from Cook’s Country.
   The crust is made by pulsing eight whole graham crackers with sugar and melted butter in a food processor, and then pressing the mixture into a nine-inch pie plate and baking it in the oven. The crust needs to cool completely before the filling is poured in it.
   The filling is made by processing sugar, lime zest (grated lime peel), cream cheese, condensed milk and instant vanilla pudding mix in a food processor.
   Unflavored gelatin and lime juice is heated in the microwave for 15 seconds, then stirred until the gelatin is dissolved.
   The gelatin mixture, more lime juice and vanilla is poured through the feed tube of the food processor as the machine is running.
   The filling is poured into the cooled crust, and refrigerated for at least three hours or up to two days. (The two days suggestion is a good one – after that time, the pie starts to lose its delicious lime flavor).
   Let the pie sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.




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