Sunshine and Key Lime!

So I may have been absent for nearly a year, but in that year I've advanced in my degree to my fourth and final year, and that has meant total stress! However, I've recently finished all my academic work for the Summer and have been back in my favourite place, the kitchen. 

Recently, I've come to realise that although I'm studying fashion and want a career in it, my ultimate goal career wise is to settle down eventually to my own tearoom business, where I can bake all day long and chat! Therefore, I've decided to set aside a little time every week to practice and build on my baking so that when the day comes I'm ready! This practice time has led to a rather hefty weight gain over the past 6 or so months, alas, you can't just have your cake and eat it, not without consequences anyway!

Today the sunshine is out and its reached 18 degrees in Lytham St Annes, therefore i've decided today's bake should replicate the summer - Key Lime Pie. Key Lime Pie originates from Florida, and is named after the small key limes found throughout the Florida Keys.The dish dates back all the way to the 1800s, however the recipe has somewhat modernised since then!

This dessert is ridiculously easy and cheap to make, there really is no excuse not to try it!

Here's what you'll need:

300g Hobnob biscuits (1 packet)
150g Unsalted Butter
4 Limes, zest and juice.
3 eggs, yolks only.
1 can 297g Condensed Milk
300ml Double Cream
1 tbsp Icing Sugar


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees, gas mark 3.
2. Either in a food processor, or bash in a bag with a rolling pin the biscuits until broken into crumbs.
3. Melt the butter and add to the crushed biscuits and mix.
4. In a 22cm tart case with removable bottom, press in the biscuit mix oven base and up the sides until evenly distributed.
5. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes then allow to cool.
6. Seperate the yolks from the whites and put the yolks in a bowl and mix. Then add the condensed milk and mix for a few minutes until fully combined.
7. Grate the zest and squeeze the juice of 4 limes and add to egg/milk mixture and stir for a further few minutes until mix is thickened up slightly.
8. Add lime mix to tart case and return to oven for a further 15minutes.
9. Cool for around 3 hours or overnight if preferred.
10. Whip the cream with a tbsp of icing sugar to sweeten it up and either pipe or just dollop onto the cooled lime pie, (note I only whipped 150ml of cream and this was enough to just cover the pie, if you like more cream definitely use 300ml) 
11. Grate a little lime zest on top and enjoy!