frozen key lime pie

christine made this for dessert one night in california and it was so tasty that i had to make it again back home so pete could try it (he missed most of the good food at the beach). i just made the pie and then topped it with whipped cream instead of "decorating" it like the directions suggest. less time and i like creamy whipped cream better than frozen whipped cream anyway. it is another recipe from my good friend ina garten. i was also very lucky to have three excellent helpers...

a juicer and a mixer...

and even my own dishwasher...

and lots of hungry little mouths to eat it... even though finn announced he only likes "the white stuff and the brown stuff" (whipped cream and crust). what to do with a kid that doesn't like any form of fruitiness...

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 6 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons grated lime zest
• 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 to 5 limes)

For the decoration:

• 1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Thin lime wedges

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press into a 9-inch pie pan, making sure the sides and the bottom are an even thickness. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

For the decoration, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.