Oven should be preheated to 350°F (175°C). Mix the graham cracker crumbs and the

sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and stir the mixture until it has the

appearance of wet sand. Press this mixture firmly into the 9-inch pie dish so that it

covers both the bottom and the sides. A flat-bottomed glass is good for pressing it down

evenly.

Bake the crust for 8 minutes and then take it out of the oven. This helps the crust remain

crisp and stay together when you cut it.

Take the egg yolks and lime zest and whisk them together in a big bowl for about two

minutes until the mixture becomes pale and a bit thick. Then pour in the sweetened

condensed milk and whisk until it is smooth. Add the lime juice and stir gently; you will

see that the filling thicken almost straight away. This is entirely normal since the acid in

the lime reacts with the condensed milk.

Put the filling into the warm crust and use a spatula to smooth the surface. Bake it for 12

to 15 minutes until the edges have set and the centre wobbles slightly when the dish is

gently shaken. Avoid overbaking since the pie will become firmer as it cools.

Leave the pie to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and then refrigerate it for at

least four hours, or preferably over night so that it has the best texture; do not omit this

step since chilling is what produces clean, creamy slices.

Before serving, mix the cold cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until they

reach stiff peaks. Fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and use it to pipe swirls around

the edge of the pie. Put a twisted lime slice in the middle. If you don't have a piping bag,

then use a spoon to spread the cream and place the lime on top.

Use some cold cream and a bowl that is also cold. Cream tends to whip more quickly

and maintains its shape better when it is very cold.

Go ahead and zest the lime before you juice it because zesting a lime that has already

been juiced is a lot harder.

Avoid overmixing the filling; merely whisk it until it is smooth so as not to incorporate too

much air, as this could result in bubbles or cracks.

Use a sharp and warm knife. When cutting, wipe the blade between each slice to get

clean edges.

Handle the crust firmly; it will crumble if it is loose when you serve it.

For the no-bake version, omit the oven and combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and

whipped cream by folding them together, then freeze it for six hours until it has set.

For gluten-free: use gluten-free graham crackers or gluten-free cookie crumbs.

Option: incorporate some toasted coconut into the crust or scatter it on top.

If you prefer a more intense sour taste, add an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons of lime juice.

For mini pies, press the crust into the muffin tin and bake the filling for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cover the pie loosely and keep it for a maximum of three days. Put on the whipped

cream topping on the day that you serve it so that it remains fresh and fluffy.

You can freeze the pie without the topping for a maximum of two months; wrap it well

and then let it thaw in the refrigerator over night before adding the cream when you serve

it.

You can prepare it in advance by baking the pie on the day before the event and then

storing it in the refrigerator. It in fact tastes better after it has been left to rest over night.

It was due to having been baked for too little time or not having been chilled for long

enough. Ensure that the centre has just set before removing it, and then place it in the

refrigerator for a full four hours.

The most common reason for this is overbaking; remove it as soon as the centre begins

to wobble a little.

Normally, no. Genuine key lime pie has a pale yellow colour. If the pie is a bright green

then it means that food colouring has been added.

In an emergency it's possible, but juice made at that moment gives a cleaner and

brighter flavour