• Cooking Time: 15
• Servings: 8
• Preparation Time: 15
• 1 graham cracker crust
• 4 large or extra large egg yolks
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
• 2 tsp key lime zest
• Whipping Cream For Garnish (Optional)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Use an electric mixer and beat the egg yolks until they are thick and turn to a light yellow, don't over mix.
3. Turn the mixer off and add the sweetened condensed milk. Turn speed to low and mix in half of the lime juice. Once the juice is incorporated add the other half of the juice and the zest, continue to mix until blended (just a few seconds). Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes to set the yolks and kill any salmonella in the eggs.
5. Serving: Make meringue with the leftover egg whites or if you are using the whipping cream garnish, prepare the cream. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Back when this pie was invented, there were no cows or stores on the Florida Keys. Everything had to come in by boat and so they used canned sweetened condensed milk, just like this recipe. They added meringue to use up the leftover egg whites. You may do that also, and then brown the meringue in the oven. This recipe was probably the inspiration for the Lemon Ice Box Pie, later called Lemon Meringue Pie.