Easy Gluten-free Key Lime Pie
Photography by Simeon Crofts
DIETARY – Gluten-free/Vegetarian/Nut-free/Egg-free
This recipe is a special one for Sim and me, as it was the dessert we served at our wedding in Florida, where the dish is thought to originate. Deriving from Key West in the south of Florida, the pie gets its name from the key limes that grow abundantly in the region. When I was in Key West many years ago, I was told I wouldn’t find two pies the same as everyone had a different way of making it, and I went on to see everything from chocolate-dripped pies to fluorescent-green lime cakes topped with jello. Typically, a key lime pie has a graham cracker crust filled with a yellow-green custard made up of egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and the juice from key limes, topped with freshly whipped cream or meringue.
You might be wondering what’s the difference between a key lime and a standard lime you find in the supermarket and, that too is up for debate, but generally, a key lime is considered to be slightly sweeter and less tart than a lime found in the fruit aisle, although they taste very similar when eaten in a dessert like this one. As we don’t have key limes in Australia, I just use whatever the supermarket has in stock and it turns out delicious every single time.
If you haven’t tried anything like this before, get ready for it to become your go-to dessert to bring to parties, Christmas, barbecues and family Sundays all throughout the year! It’s so simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser. I’ve been making this pie for decades and, in my version, I’ve chosen to use cream rather than making a more traditional custard with eggs. This generally results in a foolproof easy-to-make dessert that’s much lighter in consistency and pretty quick to whip up.
I tested with a range of different gluten-free biscuits for the base, but found Scotch fingers had the most similar taste and consistency to a digestive or graham cracker. And, it was impossible to tell that it’s gluten free. I just used Woolworth’s own brand here in Australia, but almost any plain gluten-free biscuit will work just as well.
You’ll notice I bake the crust before cooling and adding the filling to help it harden and set, but you can skip this step and freeze the crust for 10 minutes instead if preferred, though I do like the extra toasty flavour the baking method gives to the crust. I have chosen to bring the crust up around the edges of the pie, but you can also just keep it to a biscuit base. The beauty of this dessert is you can tweak it to however you prefer to eat it. Enjoy!
Easy Gluten-free Key Lime Pie
Ingredients
- 300g gluten-free Scotch Fingers
- 100g unsalted butter
- Grated zest and juice of 9 small limes (approx. 250ml lime juice)
- 500ml double cream
- 1 x 397g can sweetened condensed milk
- Dried or crystalised limes
- Meringue kisses
- Whipped cream
- Mint leaves
Method
- Line the base of a loose-bottom round or fluted tart tin with a circle of baking parchment, and pre-heat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3.
- Crush your biscuits in a sealed bag with a rolling pin or blitz in a food processor until you have crumbs. You want chunky crumbs, not a fine powder.
- Next, melt the butter in a small pan or in a bowl in the microwave, then pour over the crushed biscuits and stir until fully incorporated.
- Pour the buttery biscuit mix into your lined tin and spread evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to help get it smooth and even.
- Bake the crust for 10 mins to help it firm, then set aside to cool completely.
- For the filling, grate the zest of your limes into a large bowl, then add the juice from each one. You should end up with about 250ml of lime juice.
- Next, add the double cream and condensed milk and whisk on high speed using a hand or stand mixer for 3-6 minutes until well combined and thickened. It should feel light and just hold soft peaks.
- Pour the mixture onto the cooled biscuit base and use a spatula to gently smooth the top.
- Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge to chill for at least six hours or, ideally, overnight. Decorate with your choice of toppings such as cream, meringue or dried lime if desired. NB: The key lime pie will last up to four days when covered in the fridge.