My Best  "No Fuss - No Bake"  Smooth & Creamy Key Lime Pie

You won't believe you made something that twangs your taste buds and is Sooo Delicious!

My "No bake Key Lime pie" is smooth, tart and creamy... more like a light key lime cheesecake and so simple to make.

If you want to go the "No baking, no fuss" way, try a Graham cracker ready pie crust instead of a baked pie crust.

This recipe does not use eggs and requires no cooking.

PIE SIZE:      1 -10 inch pie

SERVINGS:   8 - 12 wedges

ROOM TEMPERATURE INGREDIENTS:

1 - (10 inch, 9 ounce) prepared graham cracker crust.     (chocolate works well also)
1 - (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened.     (use 16 ounces of cream cheese if you skip the next ingredient)
1 - (8 ounce) tub of mascarpone buttery-rich DOUBLE-CREAM cheese, softened.  (Found in most supermarkets and Italian groceries).
1/4 - cup sugar.  (or less for more tang)
1/3 - cup instant vanilla pudding.  (not the stovetop cooking kind)
1 1/2 - teaspoons unflavored gelatin.
1 - (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk.   (not evaporated milk) (use less condensed milk for a more tart pie)
2/3 - cup key lime juice.  (Nellie & Joes Key West Lime Juice is the best)
1 - teaspoon grated Key lime zest.  (regular large limes OK... no limes zest is OK also. Just add a touch more lime juice)
1/4 - teaspoon salt.
1/3 - cup heavy cream.
1 - teaspoon vanilla extract.
1 - drop of green food coloring.  (optional)

PIE TOPPING: 
Seasonal fruit to decorate or heavy cream to whip into whipped cream.  (optional) 

CRUST:   
Use prepared graham cracker crust or follow the box instructions if you decide to make your own crust. Make sure your crust is cooled completely before filling.

GELATIN:   
Mix with 1/3 cup of lime juice in a microwave safe measuring cup and heat in the microwave for about 20 - 30 seconds, stir until fully dissolved (add a little more lime juice if necessary) and immediately add dissolved gelatin to the remaining ingredients in the bowl, blending with the hand mixer to evenly distribute and to prevent lumping.

LIME ZEST & SUGAR:    
Process both ingredients in a food processor until the sugar turns green. (Optional, skip this step if you want chunks of zest in your pie).
 
MIXING MY "NO FUSS" WAY:   
Except for 1/3 cup of lime juice and the gelatin, add all of the remaining wet and dry ingredients into a large plastic or ceramic mixing bowl in no particular order.  With a rubber spatula, fold all of the ingredients into each other by hand until blended smoothly. 

Now prepare the lime juice gelatin  mixture (see above).

With a hand mixer on the lowest setting, start to combine the ingredients in the bowl and while the mixer is running start  pouring  the fully dissolved lime juice gelatin  mixture into the remaining ingredients as evenly as you can and mix thoroughly.

Introduce air by slowly increasing mixer speed until you have a nice smooth creamy texture with peaks. Mix for about 2 minutes at a higher speed. Watch closely... don't over mix and end up making Key Lime butter... now that's an idea!

Scrape down the bowl and transfer creamy mixture to the crust. Fill almost to the top and smooth or texture the surface with a spatula. Any leftover key lime can be put into dessert bowls and put in the refrigerator along with the pie to set up. Whenever I make this pie non of the extra mixture ever makes it to the fridge.

SETTING THE PIE:
Cover with plastic wrap or the inverted plastic lid from the ready made pie crust and refrigerate at least 3 hours for a softer set, preferably over night or up to 2 days for a firmer set.

DECORATING:
Before serving, remove the plastic and decorate with seasonal fruit or whipped sweetened heavy cream. Put the pie back into the fridge until ready to be served. Prepare and cut the fruit before you remove the pie from the fridge.  If you are decorating with whipped cream, wait until the last moments to decorate.

SERVING:
To serve, remove the pie from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before attempting to slice it. Clean the serving knife with a paper towel between slices.

LEFT OVER PIE:
It's unlikely there will be any pie left over, but if there is, refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Key lime pie tastes good frozen. The flavor and texture gets better by the day. ( I hide a slice or two at the back of the fridge :-). Because this pie has a high butter fat and sugar content you can keep it frozen for a while just like ice cream. Let frozen pie thaw a little before serving.

OTHER DESSERT SUGGESTIONS:
Put the Key Lime mixture into wine glasses or glass dessert dishes and decorate with fruit, chocolate shavings, sliced nuts etc.

Try dividing the mixture into two or three parts and adding food color. Or mix all of the ingredients for a minute without the instant pudding mix, divide into seperate bowls and then add different flavored instant  pudding mix to each bowl for color. Continue to mix for 2 minutes. Layer the different colors in the serving glasses for effect. Let your imagination lead the way.

Mascarpone is a rich double-cream cheese made from cow's milk. It's ivory colored, soft and delicate...but don't check your calorie counter before you try it!!!  This pie is definitely not for the feint hearted.

Enjoy this recipe...   My Key Lime pie has just the right amount of zip to twang your taste buds.  I use Key West lime juice.

    This is the authentic Nellie & Joe's Florida Key West Lime juice which you can find with the drink mixers.

    This pie was made with a spring form pan lined with a strip of wax paper around the sides for easy release.

Good food is as good as it's ingredients.    Cheers... thanks for visiting.