A Disastrous Dessert
Last weekend I made the Mini Key Lime Pies from How to Be a Domestic Goddess. They turned out terribly and tasted mostly of condensed milk with a very tiny hint of lime. I was annoyed even during the baking process because I found the instructions too vague. The graham cracker base is taken from a different recipe in the book. I have no problem with that, but for crying out loud please reference the page number of the other recipe! Or at least mention the full name of the other recipe! The Mini Key Lime Pie recipe kept mentioning the recipe for “the cheesecakes.” I flipped to the cheesecake section but the instructions weren’t applicable. That’s because I was supposed to be referencing the mini cheesecake recipe. Which was NOT with all of the other cheesecake recipes, by the way. I should have looked in the index, but I didn’t think of that until afterwards. But honestly, would it have killed Nigella to say that the mini cheesecake recipe was on page 235? Especially since she already mentions that the key lime pie filling is from page 103-104? I really fumbled around with the crust because I didn’t know at the time how much to put in each muffin cup and how far up the sides it was supposed to go. As for the filling — the instructions call for using a dessert spoon to fill the crusts. Ummm…how about an actual measurement for those of us who don’t own dessert spoons? And maybe mentioning how full we are supposed to fill the crusts? There was no photo so I was just guessing.
That’s probably enough ranting from me on this recipe. All in all, though, I was definitely not impressed. Previously I had tried the pancake recipe from the same book and didn’t think it was all that great either. So, although I know some folks are huge fans of this book, I doubt that it will become one of my faves. Hopefully I’ll come across a better key lime pie recipe in the future!
Well then, thanks for the review. I’ll never!
Thanks for the review from me too! My husband and I love anything Key Lime, so I was excited when I started reading your post, then sad that it was a bad recipe. I hope you find a better one (and post it too!)
If you ever want a great key lime pie receipe, let me know. I have a really good, very simple one. The key is the juice, and if you can get fresh key limes and make your own juice, its even better.
i’m so sorry to hear about the un-fun baking experience! your mini key lime pies look great though. one of my favorite lime dessert recipes is from everyday food…i’ve made it many, many times and everyone seems to enjoy it. it’s also easy to make! http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=913eb276b490f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=lime%20squares&rsc=ns2006_r1
I have to admit, they didn’t look very appealing. =) What a bummer that it was so confusing and annoying!
Grrr, I know how you feel. I hate it when a recipe doesn’t work out due to bad, vague instructions. I hope you find a tasty key lime pie recipe to make up for this one!
Bummer about the little cheesecakes and I’m sorry you don’t love the book. I’ve made the pancake recipe and liked it - as far as traditional pancake recipes go anyway. I hope you have better luck next time.
So sorry to hear about the disappointing recipe! It’s always a let-down when it takes so much effort to make something that doesn’t turn out right. If I recall correctly, there’s a really good key lime tart recipe in the Moosewood Restaurant’s dessert cookbook. It’s not mini, but I can dig up a copy of it for you when I get back to town if you want!
I’ve got a fabulous key lime recipe.
1 graham cracker cookie crust
Filling:
1 14 oz can weetened condensed milk
1/2 cup plus 2 T fresh lime juice (5-6 limes)
2 large eggs
2 T grated lime zest
dash of salt
Topping:
8 oz sour cream
1/4 c sugar
1/8 t salt
Lime zest for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place all the filling ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl and stir with a whisk until they are completely mixed. Pour filling into pie shell.
3. Bake in center of oven rack until it begins to set, 10 minutes. Remove pie from oven and increase oven to 425
4. Whisk the topping ingredients together in a small bowl and spread the topping over the pie.
5. Bake pie for 5 minutes more. The topping will be loose when you remove the pie, but will set as it cools. Cool on rack, then chill pie. I like to make my pie the night before I need it.
7. Decorate with additional whip cream and shaved zest of the lime.
The recipe is actually pretty quick if you have a good zester, and a juicer.
Let me know if you try it. Very tangy, which I like.
Happy Knitting and Eating,
Danielle
Knitique
8741 Elk Grove Blvd.
Elk Grove, CA
95624
916.714.7719
Well that’s crappy! I’ve noticed that indexes are not what they used to be.
Sorry to hear that they didn’t turn out. You would have thought that they would have tested the book before publishing to clear up any problems like that. That is so aggrivating and sadly such a waste for you. Hopefully some of the other recipies that people have listed will work better for you.
I am a Key Lime purist - if it calls for the juice of regular old limes, it’s Lime Pie, not Key Lime Pie. My grocery store carries Key Lime juice (I believe the brand is Nellie & Joe’s) and fresh key limes if they’re in season. Here’s a super easy recipe for bite sized pies:
2 Packages (30 pieces) frozen Phyllo Cups, thawed
1/2 c. Key Lime juice
1 14-oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
4 egg yolks
Put the phyllo cups onto a cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 325 F.
Mix the egg yolks and S.C. Milk. Whisk in the juice. Note that the juice curdles the milk, so it looks loose for a minute - keep whisking and it will come together.
Pour the mixture into the cups. Fill them as full as you’d like - it doesn’t really expand or settle at all. Bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 15 minutes, then you can put them back into the little plastic tray they came in, back in the box, and into the fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight preferable).
Serve them with a bit of whipped cream.
I do prefer a graham cracker crust, but honestly, what a bother to make them! The frozen premade phyllo cups are so much easier!