Zoë's Baking Academy: Key Lime Desserts
Your next challenge: a juiced up American classic.
Thank you to everyone who has made my crusty bread and sourdough recipes over the last month and a half! Today is the last day to send in your photos and leave a review to be entered into the giveaway. Now, on to the key lime delights.
Key Lime Pie is my go-to dessert order in any restaurant. If it is on the menu, no matter if I’m at a 5-star establishment or a roadside diner, this is my pick. I don’t even care if it is served with Cool Whip or made with Jell-O. I just think the creamy/tartness of a Key Lime Pie is perfection, and am willing to forgive a lot. I often call it my guilty pleasure because it has a reputation for being an easy choice. Legend has it that it was also Hemingway’s favorite, so I’m in esteemed company and can be proud to admit my love of this often overlooked pie.
Much like the rivalry between Australia and New Zealand over the origins of the Pavlova (another favorite of mine), the Key Lime Pie has a similar debate. Both Florida and New York claim to have invented this American classic. I tend to give credit to the better, more romantic story and that goes to the Florida Keys (namesake of the limes, which is the star of the show), but there is some validity to the NY claim since it is the home of the sweetened condensed milk that is the quiet, but equally important ingredient in the pie. I’ll just leave this here and let the culinary historians fight it out.
As a reminder, Zoë’s Baking Academy is a chance for us to try recipes together, learn some tips and tricks, and share our beautiful bakes for all to see. Plus, there’s a prize!* This month we’re tackling one (or two!) key lime desserts! You can choose between my modern take on Key Lime Pie, which also happens to be my favorite dessert, or my exclusive recipe for paid subscribers: Key Lime Cheesecake. You’ll find that recipe at the end of this post.
Here’s how it works:
Before August 15 , bake one of these two recipes. I have a brand new video of the key lime pie for you to watch as you bake. Don’t forget to snap a photo and/or video of yours.
Show us your bake! Tag me (@zoebakes) in an in-feed post on Instagram or Facebook (it’s hard to track Stories and we may miss them) and use the hashtag #zoebakesacademy and/or #zoebakes. If you don’t use social media or your account is private, you can still participate! Send an email to stephani@zoebakes.com with a photo to let us know you’re in.
For an additional entry into the giveaway, rate and review the recipe on ZoëBakes.com. (Paid subscribers are automatically entered twice with their submissions if they choose to make the key lime cheesecake, since there is no way to rate it).
That’s it! We’ll draw a winner on August 16 and announce it that week on social media and in this email. The prize is a signed copy of Zoë Bakes Cakes and a linen apron.
*I can ship to US addresses only. I hope someday to open this up to international followers as well.
Key Lime Pie with Lime Curd
When I make Key Lime Pie at home I have 3 goals, which are my standards for any recipe I develop: Texture, Taste, and Temperature. The Three Ts. For a Key Lime Pie, the filling has to be silky smooth and a little dense (I’ve added some cream cheese to my recipe to get the perfect texture), but the crust needs a bit of a snap from the toasted graham crackers (I am a traditionalist when it comes to the crust), and then a pillow of whipped cream. I will not judge anyone’s choices of what creamy topping to use, but I like a very lightly sweetened whipped cream (Do you recall my Banana Pudding incident in season 1 of Zoë Bakes? ;) The pie needs to be thoroughly chilled for structure and because it changes the flavors when it is chilled and they are more in harmony.
Pro Tips & Techniques
Crust: You can use store-bought graham crackers, but I highly recommend making your own. Here is my recipe for homemade graham crackers—it’s a sneak peek of a recipe from my new book, Zoë Bakes Cookies!
Make sure to push down on the pie crust, especially in the corners, to make sure you don’t have any spots that are too thick or thin.
Limes: Use key lime juice! The pie works with regular limes, but you’ll miss out on that classic key lime flavor.
Cream Cheese: I’m a Philadelphia brand loyalist. I just like the texture and flavor better than others I’ve tried. Pop your cream cheese in the microwave for a few seconds if it isn’t soft enough. You want to make sure it is easy to whisk.
Tenting: You can tent the pie loosely with foil if the crust darkens too much while the filling is setting in the oven.
Curd: Use a rubber spatula for the lime curd to wipe the sides of the bowl and cook it evenly. Keep stirring until it clings to the spatula. Keep the heat low for the best flavor. If you cook the curd too quickly you can get an eggy flavor. This is why I like to use the double boiler method.
Cutting: Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to help cut the pie.
Key Lime Cheesecake with Lime Curd
This is the Diva version of my favorite Key Lime Pie! She’s a little over the top and a showstopper with all the layers standing tall. The ingredient list is very similar to the pie, it’s just a punched-up ratio. The texture of this cheesecake is super smooth and creamy without baking in a water bath. More about that and all my pro tips for success are below for my paid subscribers. The layer of lime curd is what brings both of these desserts into the realm of extraordinary.