I’m a bit late catching up this week, so bear with me. Along with regular chores, I added bottle duty twice a day to help neighbors Deb & Tony Humbert feed Willow and Sage, their baby Highland calves. 

Actually, the two take hardly any time at all (the calves go through a couple quarts of formula in a few minutes) and I volunteered to help. A nice way to begin, and end, the day. 

Even though there’s still lots to do, these long summer days give me flexibility when it comes to supper. We can eat a late meal with perhaps a light dessert. 

Today it’s key lime pie that ends dinner on a sweet and refreshing note. With an easy graham cracker crust and a three ingredient filling, key lime pie is a “no fail” dessert. The original recipe is heirloom and from one of those little paperback cookbooks one would find at the grocery store checkout. The only thing I do different for the filling is to add 4 egg yolks instead of 3. Just that one more yolk adds a silky richness.

Eat the pie unadorned or garnished with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream and if you like, a few edible flower petals. 

Classic key lime pie

I’ve only made this with fresh key limes once. They’re tiny and you need a lot to get enough juice for the pie. Bottled key lime juice is my choice here. 

You can also use fresh regular limes, juiced and strained. The filling won’t be as tart, but will still be yummy.  

Ingredients graham cracker crust

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

4 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir crumbs and sugar together, then stir in melted butter until well blended and sandy looking. Press into 8” or 9” pie pan. 

Bake 8 or so minutes to set crust. Edges will look a little darker than the middle.

Let cool while making filling.

Ingredients filling

4 large egg yolks, room temperature

1 can, 14 oz, sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup key lime juice

Instructions

Beat yolks and milk together until yolks become pretty thick and lemon colored. This gives more volume to the pie, though it doesn’t bake up real high.

Whisk in juice, then pour into pie shell.

Bake 18 minutes or so on middle shelf. It’s done when it’s still a bit jiggly right in the center.

Let cool at room temperature for about an hour, then refrigerate to finish firming up. That takes 2-3 hours or so. 

Keeps refrigerated, covered, up to 5 days.

Eat plain or garnished with sweetened whipped cream.

Gilding the lily: vanilla whipped cream

No real recipe, so go to taste on sugar and vanilla. I whisk in 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla into 1 cup cold whipping cream. Then I beat it until soft peaks form.