Key Lime Pie with Ginger and Coconut Crust

A slightly unconventional, zingy lime filling encased in a delicious ginger crust

Key Limes Pie has always been on my list to make, but have always been slightly put-off by calling something a “key lime” if it is actually not from that varietal. You see, key limes are a special type of lime varietal which we do not get in South Africa. The more common varietal is the Persian Lime’s which are found in many grocery stores.

I was very excited to go to the Oranjezicht Market a while back and find Thai Limes (also called Makrut Limes) which had a far more intense aroma, which I later learnt translated into a more punchy flavour. Being disappointed that the flavour of this lime was too intense, I finally settled on Persian limes. The flavour of these actually produce a pie that is mellow in lime flavour, without punching you in the jaw with tartness.

If you follow my stories on Instagram, you would know that I had three failed attempts at this recipe, before I actually achieved success. The failures were definitely worth the wait! The pie is just set, so the filling almost has a melt in your mouth feel. I also love how the ginger from the crust, with a bit of coconut pairs with the slight zing of the lime.

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Recipe Timeline

I know that some of my recipes can be quite component-intensive. You see, whilst I often like quick and effortless bakes I do find baking extremely therapeutic and enjoyable. To this end, I often spend a lot of time in the kitchen creating bakes with many different components. If you are unfamiliar with how to approach a recipe, these multi-component desserts can see rather overwhelming. So I have created a recipe timeline to help you understand exactly what to do when.

Step 1: Begin by making the crust (10 minutes)

Crust Baking Time (10 minutes)

Step 2: Begin by making the pie filling, whilst the crust is in the oven (10 minutes)

Filling Baking Time (30 – 35 minutes)

Filling Resting Time at Room Temperature (1 hour)

Filling Resting Time in the fridge (8 hours)

Step 3: Whip the cream for the topping (5 minutes)

Step 4: Decorate as desired (10 – 30 minutes)

FOR THE GINGER CRUST

I was gifted a Oh-mega nut butter roasted coconut butter, which I used to make the base. You can choose to make the ginger crust with the roasted coconut butter or with ordinary butter, but the ratio of ingredients do need to change.

For the ordinary butter

• 230g ginger biscuits
• 30g desiccated coconut
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 90g butter, melted

For the roasted coconut butter

• 230g ginger biscuits
• 30g desiccated coconut
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 110g crushed coconut butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 50g butter, melted and slightly cooled

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and line the base of a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin with baking paper. After the crust comes out of the oven, reduce the oven to 150 degrees celcius. It is better to have this as a low and slow bake to prevent the pie from curdling and browning too much.
2. Crush the ginger biscuits until they are finely crushed. I find this easiest with a food processor.
3. Then add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and stir to combine, and the mixture is like wet sand, but not oily.
4. Bake for about 5-8 minutes until the crust is set, and turned slightly darker, but be careful not to overbake.
5. Remove from the oven and set in the refrigerator until ready to use.

FOR THE CUSTARD FILLING

• 2 tins condensed milk (385g each)
• 200ml lime juice
• 100ml coconut cream
• 50g sour cream
• 7 large egg yolks
• zest of three limes
• additional lime slices, whipped cream and edible flowers to finish

METHOD

1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until everything is combined.
2. For ease of handling, I suggest placing your tart tin onto a bigger baking tray.
3. Pour the filling into your pre-baked tart shell and place in the oven to bake for 30 – 35 minutes. I suggest covering the sides of the tin with a bit of foil, to prevent the crust from browning further.
4. The tart is done when the sides are set, but the middle is still slightly wobbly. Let the tart cool for an hour at room temperature, before placing in the fridge for 8 hours to set.
5. When ready to serve, decorate with sliced lime wedges, edible flours and some sweetened whipped cream.

Recipe by adventureswithsugar.com