Preheat oven to 350°
1 1/4 cup Graham Crackers (one package) crushed into fine crumbs.
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 pound butter, melted
4 egg yolks
1 can Magnolia Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 ounces Key Lime juice (Persian green limes may be substituted)
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crust: Mix Graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until sugar is dissolved so the crust wont taste gritty. Press firmly to form a crust in a pie pan.
Filling: Beat eggs and sweetened condensed milk together then add the lime juice and pour into the crust. The juice will “cook” the eggs.
Meringue: Beat the egg whites in mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and continue beating a few more minutes until the peaks are stiff and stand up by themselves. Spread the meringue over the pie with a spatula and make sure to seal the edges with the meringue or liquid will seep out.
Bake for 12-13 minutes at 350° until meringue peaks are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about an hour. Refrigerate and serve.
This is a genuine Key Lime Pie. A real Key Lime Pie has meringue made from the egg whites, and the yokes are in the filling. You only bake the pie in order to brown the meringue. The pie itself requires no cooking because the acid in the lime juice “cooks” the egg yokes.
Don’t be fooled by commercial pie of convenience. They use whipped cream instead of meringue because meringue shrinks and stiffens so the pie has to be served that day.