This sumptuous little tart is from Kimberly Sklar, the pastry chef at Lucques in West Hollywood, Cali-fornia, where Suzanne Goin is executive chef and owner. If you can’t find key limes, you may substitute regular limes. But key limes are better because the juice is sweeter and the color is a wonderful yellow.
Key limes are grown year-round in warmer climates all over the world. Indigenous to Malaysia, they were brought to North Africa by Arab traders, to Europe by the crusaders, and to the Caribbean by the Spanish. Around 1835 the first grove was planted in the Florida Keys. Organic key limes are becoming increasingly common.
SERVINGS
Makes one 9-inch pie; serves 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
For the Crust
15 graham cracker squares
5 tablespoons sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter (11/4 sticks)
For the Filling
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons freshly squeezed key lime juice (2 to
4 limes), strained
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour creamWhipped heavy cream
PREPARATION
1. In a food processor or in a plastic bag using a rolling pin, grind the graham crackers to fine crumbs. (You need 2 cups of crumbs). Mix in the sugar. Melt the butter, add to the graham cracker crumbs, and mix to form a crumbly dough like damp sand. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray and pour in the mixture, pressing it evenly up the sides and across the bottom. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the shell on the middle rack until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack before adding filling.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, lime juice, and crème fraîche. Set aside until the pie shell is cool. Whisk one more time before pouring into prebaked shell. Bake until almost set—the center will jiggle slightly when gently shaken—20 to 24 minutes. Chill until ready to serve.
4. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
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