Mini Key Lime Pies

For Christmas, my mom got me this adorable mini cheesecake pan. The bottoms pop out! Genius. It's been three months, but I finally took this guy for a test drive. I knew what I wanted my first recipe to be while opening this gift: mini key lime pies.

Make sure you use KEY limes. They pack so much flavor!

These little bites are creamy, sweet, and tart. A breath of fresh air to winter and a cool keynote - keyLIMEnote - to summer, these mini key lime pies will disappear quickly after you make them, to be sure. You could jazz them up in so many ways: whipped cream, mint, blackberry sauce, scoop of ice cream; but I decided to simply garnish with key lime slices. Enjoy!

Mini Key Lime Pies

adapted from Martha Stewart

yields 2 dozen mini pies (or 2 boring, regular-sized pies)

Ingredients:
3 cups honey graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sicks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 can (14 ounces) can sweetened condensed milk
6 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons grated key lime zest
1 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in a bowl (I used my fingers). Press into the bottoms of the mini cheesecake pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.

Whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, key lime zest, and key lime juice in a bowl. Pour into the prepared, cooled crust.

Return mini pies to oven, and bake until the center is set but still quivers when the pan is nudged, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Serve.