Perfect Key Lime Pie
- 250g Mascarpone
- 3/4 tbsp caster sugar
- Juice of 3/4 Key limes (regular limes will do fine)
- 250g/pkt of ginger nut biscuits
- 80g Butter
Which cheese can you hide a horse with? Mascarpone…
Anyway, mascarpone is definitely the key ingredient for a great key lime pie. You might be forgiven for thinking this is more a recipe for lime cheesecake than key lime pie – you’re probably right. In contrast to the more traditional Floridian recipe, this calls for no pastry, no eggs, no meringue and no sweetened condensed milk. As a result its a lot healthier and for a European palette tastes leagues better. It’s very quick and easy to make as well.
1. Bash up the ginger nut biscuits in a sandwich bag with a rolling-pin until they are crumb-like, not too fine though. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat, do not allow to brown. Add the bashed up biscuits into the pan, take off the heat and stir in with the butter. The purpose of the butter is to coalesce the biscuits together – they shouldn’t be dry and should clump together a fair bit. Spoon the butter biscuit mix into a cheesecake dish (some have a separable bottom to make serving easier) and put in the fridge while you get on with the top bit.
2. In a mixing bowl fold the mascarpone in with the juice of two of the limes and two table spoons of sugar. It should be very thick and difficult to work. Add in the rest of the sugar and lime juice to taste, probably another two tbsp of each – folding rather than mixing to ensure a fairly thick consistency. When you are happy with the taste, spoon onto your base. Using the back of the spoon, disperse the topping in a circular fashion so that it is all covered. Put back in the fridge for at least eight hours and decorate with lime zest immediately before serving.
