The Secret To A Perfectly Baked Key Lime Pie Is A Bouncy Center
The best key lime pies taste both sweet and tart — but the pie's texture holds just as much power as flavor. An ideal key lime pie will hover the line with a firm edge but a silky, creamy inside; you want the pie soft and custardy, but still baked and held together. That goal texture, however, can be difficult to decipher. Unlike other pies, where you're often looking for a golden, crusted top, key lime pie gives little visual indication as to when it's ready. That's where textural signs — and a bouncy center — come into play.
To determine if your pie is perfectly baked, simply see how much its center bounces. TikTok user benjaminthebaker recommends home bakers tap the sides of their key lime pies. If the center looks liquid-like and runs easily, it's not done enough. You want it to jiggle slightly in the middle, but without maintaining too much movement. By that same token, if the pie barely shakes, you've likely overdone it. "When the edge starts to puff and crack and the filling barely moves when you nudge the pan, the pie is overbaked and the filling curdles," the TikTokker said in his key lime pie video.
The bounce demonstrates when your pie is perfectly set and ready to eat. As for what gives key lime pie the bounce, the ingredients are to thank.
Key lime pie earns its bounce with its custard filling.
Given the smooth, light consistency of an ideal key lime pie, is it any surprise that the pie's center consists of its very own custard? Key lime pie recipes tend to call for a few signature ingredients known to lend texture to baked goods. Namely, they rely on eggs. They typically use yolks, though some recipes also incorporate whites for airiness, while others forgo eggs entirely. The pie likewise relies on either sweetened condensed milk or heavy cream — and some recipes even incorporate both. This particular trio of ingredients parallels those of a standard custard, which generally categorizes any dessert made of eggs and cream. Like key lime pie, custard — even on its own — straddles a thin textural line. You want your custard to set and bind together, but not lose any of that desired softness.
As such, you'll want to beat your key lime pie's egg yolk, milk, and cream mixture until fluffy. From there, you can toy with other, flavorful additions. Try using brown butter, for example, for a taste that will transport you straight to the Florida Keys.