You can't go wrong with this one. I made the original filling, but used my own graham cracker crust, (with no added sugar), and omitted the whipped cream topping. It's delicious.
KEY LIME PIE
From America's Test Kitchen: "Despite this pie’s name, we found that tasters could not tell the difference between pies made with regular supermarket limes (called Persian limes) and true Key limes. Since Persian limes are easier to find and juice, we recommend them."
Serves 8 to 10
Lime Filling
4 teaspoons grated zest plus 1/2 cup strained juice from 3 or 4 limes
4 large egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Graham Cracker Crust
11 full-size graham crackers, processed to fine crumbs (1 1/4 cups)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING (I omitted this)
¾ Cup heavy cream
¼ Cup confectioners’ sugar
½ lime, sliced paper thin and dipped in sugar (optional)
1. For the filling: Whisk zest and yolks in medium bowl until tinted light green, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk, then juice; set aside at room temperature to thicken.
2. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add butter; stir with fork until well blended. Scrape mixture into 9-inch pie pan. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Once crumbs are in place, line pan flush with large square of plastic wrap, and use spoon to smooth crumbs into curves and sides of pan. Refrigerate lined pie plate 20 minutes to firm crumbs. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
3. Pour lime filling into crust; bake until center is set yet wiggly when jiggled, 15 to 17 minutes. Return pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours. (Can be covered with lightly oiled or oil- sprayed plastic wrap laid directly on filling and refrigerated up to 1 day.)
4. For the whipped cream: Up to 2 hours before serving, whip cream in medium bowl to very soft peaks. Adding confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, continue whipping to just-stiff peaks. Decoratively pipe whipped cream over filling or spread evenly with rubber spatula. Garnish with optional sugared lime slices and serve.
Notes:
1. To make sure the graham crackers form a firm, coherent crust on the bottom of the pie pan, press them down firmly with a cup or glass. Be careful not to cover the pan’s lip with crumbs, however.
2. If the finished pie sticks to the pie pan when you’re ready to cut, simply dip the pan into a bowl of warm water to loosen the pie.
From America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated