This pie may not have broken any world records, but it reigns supreme in my book. Developed by Manny & Isa’s Kitchen, which closed its doors about a decade ago, this is one of the best recipes for the traditional pastry piecrust and meringue-topping version of key lime pie that I have ever tasted. Manny gave me his recipe for the first edition of Insiders’ Guide to the Florida Keys and Key West, which I wrote in 1995.
Ingredients
- 4 large or 6 medium eggs
- 1 (14-ounce) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
- 4 ounces key lime juice
- 1 prepared piecrust, baked and cooled
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ cup sugar
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Separate egg yolks from whites. Put whites aside for use in meringue. Place yolks in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix together. Add key lime juice and mix again. Pour into baked, cooled piecrust.
- Thoroughly wash and dry bowl and beaters. Place egg whites in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until medium peaks form. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat. Add sugar slowly and continue beating until mixture is stiff.
- Spread meringue over pie, sealing it to the crust. Bake until meringue is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate key lime pie until chilled.
