Keylime Pie

• 1 1/2 cups of crushed graham crackers (1 package + 2 crackers)
• (optional)1/2 cup of crushed pecans (Reduce the crackers accordingly)
• 7 tblspoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

Filling

• 1/2 cups of lime juice (4 regular limes or 12 to 16 keylimes) Put them in the microwave for about 20 seconds, you will get more liquid out of them.
• 1 lemon
• 14 oz of sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• lime zest
• (optional) 4 drops of green food dye

Topping

• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• lemon and lime zest

Making the crust*

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Combine the graham crackers(and pecans), salt and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the crackers mixture. Mix using your hands until the butter is incorporated evenly throught the mixture.
4. Press the mixture into a 9 in pie pan until the cracker mixture is evenly distributed around the pie shell.
5. Place the pie crust in a 375 F oven for 12 minutes.

Making the filling.*

1. Separate the 4 eggs into yolk and whites and place the whites in a separate bowl and allow to warm to room temperature. Makes it easier to whip later.
2. Using a cheese grater, remove the zest from the lemon and three or four of the limes. The zest will be used in the meringue to give it an interesting punch. Now squeeze the juice from the limes to make a 1/2 of a cup. Add the juice of one lemon to the mixture.
3. Pour the condensed milk into a mixing bowl and add the juice mixture to it. Fold it into the milk.
4. Fold in the egg yolks in the the mixture until complete incorporated in the liquid.
5. (Optional) Add green food coloring to give the pie the green color, which a key lime is known for.
6. Dice the lime zest into fine pieces and add half of it to the mixture.
7. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 12 minutes at 375 F.

Making the meringue*

This part is done while the pie is in the oven cooking.

1. Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and whip them until they are a stiff. Basically you are breaking down the egg proteins and adding air pockets to the mixture.
2. Add a 1/4 cup of sugar to the egg whites and the meringue will become glossy as you mix it. Don't over mix it.
3. Add the remaining zest of the limes and the lemon zest to the meringue.
4. Place the meringue on top of the pie make sure that the meringue covers the keylime mixture.
5. Place the pie into a 375 F oven for 13 to 15 minutes. Long enough to give the meringue a golden brown.
6. Remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool. Then move the pie to the refrigator for a couple of hours. The pie is best served cold.

*NOTE: The procedure goes pie crust first, keylime mixture, and meringue. The pie will be in the oven for a total of about 37 to 39 minutes.