I can't wait for Summer!

 

I will always love Chicago but by the time April comes around, I can't wait for summer.  The best part of summer is the availability of various produce.  I am always craving fruit and veggies around this time of year.  The fresher the better.  Last week, I was trying to figure out what to make for dessert on Friday.  I try to make a traditional family dinner very Friday and when I was trying to figure out what to make, The Husband asked if I could make key lime pie.  I had majority of the ingredients already so I figured why not.  I just have to get limes.  I did do a little twist for this recipe.  I added coconut to the crust, for some reason I have an abundance amount of coconut. 

 

Key Lime Pie with a Coconut Crust

Ingredients

3 Egg Yolks

1/2 Cup of Lime Juice (I was suppose to use key limes but I couldn't find any)

Grated Lime Zest (Up to your preference.  I would say from 1 to 3 teaspoons)

1 Can of Condense Milk

1 Tsp of Vanilla

1 3/4 Cup of Crusted Graham Cracker

1/4 Cup of Brown Sugar

1 Cup of Coconut Flakes

4-5 Tbs of Melted Butter

1 Tbs of Flour

1 Tsp of Salt

 

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a pie pan.
2. Place the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, coconut flakes, flour, and salt in a food processor or mixer.
3. Once all the ingredients are fully incorporated, slowly add the butter until it starts to bind together.
4. Take the mixture and press the dough into the pie pan.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes until it looks pretty solid and a little dryer in texture.
6. Cool the crust. 
7. While the crust cools, take the egg yolks and start to whip them until it lightens in color.
8. Once the color lightens, add the condense milk and vanilla. 
9. Once that is fully mixed, add the lime juice and the zest.
10. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and bake for 10 minutes until the filling set.