Mini Key Lime Pies

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Mini Key Lime Pies | Plum Pie

Key Lime Pie Minis
Adapted from several sources, most notably Karen Barker’s Sweet Stuff, a must have dessert cookbook

{Makes four 4-inch personal sized pies or one 9-inch pie}

Crust:
1 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut (preferably the frozen kind, defrosted)
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Key Lime Filling:
4 egg yolks (reserve whites if making the meringue topping)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (I didn’t have this so didn’t use, mine came out fine)
1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
1 cup key lime juice
3 tablespoons key lime zest
Choose from Rum Cream Topping or Meringue Topping below.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate or the 4 mini tart pans.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate or tart pans, tamping down the crumbs to form an even crust. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Reserve and prepare filling.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cream of tartar. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk. Gradually whisk in the lime juice till well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared shell.

Bake at 350° for approximately 15 minutes, until the filling is just set. Remove from the oven, cool completely, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Before serving, prepare topping (choose from either the rum cream topping or meringue topping).

Rum Cream Topping:
1 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons dark rum
3 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut, toasted til light golden brown

Whip the cream till lightly thickened. Gradually whisk in sugar and beat to soft peaks. Beat in vanilla and dark rum and whip until medium stiff peaks.

Spread about two thirds of the whipped cream over the pie filling. Place the remaining cream in a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip and pipe a shell border or a series of whipped cream rosettes around around the perimeter of the pie. Alternatively, you can spread all of the whipped cream on the pie, making peaks with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the whipped cream with the toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Egg White Meringue Topping:
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Place the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until the egg whites form soft peaks, about 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Beat until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks, another 1 to 2 minutes. Do not over mix or the whites will dry out.

Place the meringue in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe the meringue onto the chilled key lime pie in dollops that run in concentric circles, completely covering the top of the pie. Alternatively, spread the meringue on the pie and using the back of a spoon, create peaks and dips in the topping. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the meringue. Or broil the pie under the broiler of your oven until golden brown. Watch carefully because the meringue can easily burn under the broiler. Keep the door partially open and as soon as soon the meringue begins to brown, remove from the oven.

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Many thanks to PlumPieCooks!