Smoothest Lemon Pie

This is the classic recipe for the key lime pie.
Turns out that the REAL key limes from Key, Florida are as small as a walnut and not the regular limes which they sell here.
Anyway, I used a classic and replaced the limes for lemon and got this oh so good lemon pie.
I decorated it with real whipped cream and it was really delicious and also looked really good too !



Ingredients:

For the filling:
4 egg yolks
one 14 oz can sweet condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2/3 cup heavy cream for whipping
1 teaspoon powder sugar

For the crust:
16 graham crackers crushed or 125 gr graham cracker crumbs
3 TBSP sugar
4 to 6 TBSP butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Remember that the best time to zest your lemons is when they are firm, just taken out of the fridge.
And they give out the most juice when squeezed after they have been at room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes.
Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar, then add the melted butter and press the mixture in your pie pan of choice.
9 inch is ideal.
Set it in the fridge while the filling is being prepared.
Beat the egg yolks with a hand held mixer until they turn a pale yellow, approx 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the vanilla and condensed milk gradually, with the mixer running on the lowest speed.
Add the zest and the juice, still with the mixer running on low.


You are now ready to pour into the prepared crust.
But first.....VERY IMPORTANT .....taste the filling as this is your last chance to make any adjustments to your lemon pie.
If you think that it is too tart or too lemony, then add 1 to 2 more TBSP sugar, preferably powder sugar and then pour it into your crust. Trust me on this, I speak from experience.



Bake at 350 F for 12 minutes.
Let cool and while it is cooling, whip the heavy cream, then transfer to a pastry bag and pipe the margin decorations.


If you want to do like me, just overlap the circles.
If you are done with the margin and still have whipped cream left, then decorate the center of the pie as well.
I forgot to show you the tip I used earlier when I posted this, but I make the correction now.










Easy and pretty !

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A shortcut for those of you who cannot get their hands on sweet condensed milk is to make it at home.
I have 2 options for doing that as written below.

#1
Homemade Sweet Condensed Milk

60 ml boiling water
15 gr margarine (or butter)
100 gr white sugar
120 gr powder milk

Pour the boiling water into your blender and add the margarine and sugar and blend well, then add the powder milk, 1/2 cup at a time. Blend really well after each addition.
Store in the fridge and use anywhere sweet condensed milk is called for.
This will yield 1 and 1/3 cup or the equivalent of one 14 oz can.

#2
Homemade Sweet Condensed Milk

1 cup powder milk
1/3 cup boiling water
2/3 cup sugar
3 TBSP melted butter

Place all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
This will yield 14 oz or 1 and 1/3 cup.