Slow-Cooker Key Lime Pie
By Joe GitterPublished on October 16, 2019
Time
1 to 2 hours on high
Yield
Serves 8
Slow cooker size
5 to 7 quarts
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You will need an oval slow cooker and a 6-inch springform pan for this recipe. To make neat slices, dip the knife blade into hot water and wipe it clean with a dish towel after each cut. Check the temperature of the pie after 1 hour of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 150 degrees.
Instructions
- 1. Pulse graham crackers in food processor to fine crumbs, about 20 pulses. Add melted butter, sugar, and pinch salt and pulse to combine, about 4 pulses. Sprinkle crumbs into 6-inch springform pan and press into even layer using bottom of dry measuring cup. Wipe out processor bowl.
- Process condensed milk, lime zest and juice, and cream cheese in now-empty processor until combined, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolk and process until just incorporated, about 5 seconds. Pour filling into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Fill slow cooker with ½ inch water (about 2 cups) and place aluminum foil rack in bottom. Set pan on prepared rack, cover, and cook until pie registers 150 degrees, 1 to 2 hours on high. Turn slow cooker off and let pie sit, covered, for 1 hour.
- Transfer pie to wire rack. Run small knife around edge of pie and gently blot away condensation using paper towels. Let pie cool in pan to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.
- About 30 minutes before serving, run small knife around edge of pie, then remove sides of pan. Invert pie onto sheet of parchment paper, then turn pie right side up onto serving dish. Press coconut gently against sides of pie to adhere; wipe away excess coconut. Serve.
Time
1 to 2 hours on highYield
Serves 8Slow cooker size
5 to 7 quartsIngredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We think a great key lime pie is defined not just by the fragile balance of sweet and sour but also by its creamy, just-set filling. We knew we had to be gentle in our slow-cooker “bake,” so we used a water bath to cook the classic key lime pie constituents of condensed milk, limes, and egg yolks. Results were mixed at first, as the delicate filling rapidly went from soupy to overcooked, and we didn't fancy hovering over our slow cooker to catch that fleeting moment of perfection. To solve our dilemma, we employed a trick we've used in baking bars—replacing some of the egg yolks with just 2 ounces of cream cheese—which gave us a more resilient filling that remained silken and sliced perfectly. For our crust, a simple graham cracker press-in gave us enough structure and buttery indulgence to counter our zesty filling. Pressing toasty shredded coconut onto the edge of the pie made for a beautiful presentation and added further complexity to this sweet-sour custard creation.
Before You Begin
You will need an oval slow cooker and a 6-inch springform pan for this recipe. To make neat slices, dip the knife blade into hot water and wipe it clean with a dish towel after each cut. Check the temperature of the pie after 1 hour of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 150 degrees.
Instructions
- 1. Pulse graham crackers in food processor to fine crumbs, about 20 pulses. Add melted butter, sugar, and pinch salt and pulse to combine, about 4 pulses. Sprinkle crumbs into 6-inch springform pan and press into even layer using bottom of dry measuring cup. Wipe out processor bowl.
- Process condensed milk, lime zest and juice, and cream cheese in now-empty processor until combined, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolk and process until just incorporated, about 5 seconds. Pour filling into prepared pan and smooth top.
- Fill slow cooker with ½ inch water (about 2 cups) and place aluminum foil rack in bottom. Set pan on prepared rack, cover, and cook until pie registers 150 degrees, 1 to 2 hours on high. Turn slow cooker off and let pie sit, covered, for 1 hour.
- Transfer pie to wire rack. Run small knife around edge of pie and gently blot away condensation using paper towels. Let pie cool in pan to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.
- About 30 minutes before serving, run small knife around edge of pie, then remove sides of pan. Invert pie onto sheet of parchment paper, then turn pie right side up onto serving dish. Press coconut gently against sides of pie to adhere; wipe away excess coconut. Serve.
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