Florida Lime Pie

Recipe from Jane Nickerson

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Published April 11, 2021

Florida Lime Pie
Heami Lee for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Amy Wilson.
Total Time
1½ hours, plus chilling and cooling
Rating
4(755)
Comments
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Jane Nickerson was the food editor of The New York Times from 1942 until 1957, when she moved with her family to Lakeland, Fla. There, she eventually became food editor of The Ledger, in Lakeland, then owned by The Times. Her successor in New York was Craig Claiborne, whose star eclipsed hers for, among other things, systemic reasons we wrestle with still. But Ms. Nickerson was a hugely influential force in American home cooking, introducing ingredients and recipes from chefs and home cooks to a nation that met her first on a wartime footing and grew to find itself on a prosperous one. In Florida, she embraced local ingredients and foodways, and in 1973 published “Jane Nickerson’s Florida Cookbook,” an invaluable guide to the state’s appetizing abundance. Her lime pie is a little richer than the more well-known Key lime pie. I like that about it. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: The Unsung Influence of a Pioneering Food Journalist

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (9-inch) pie

    For the Crust

    • 1¼cups/160 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
    • ¼teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½cup/115 grams very cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
    • 3tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed

    For the Filling

    • 5large egg yolks, plus 3 large egg whites, all at room temperature
    • 1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
    • ⅔cup fresh lime juice (from about 4 to 5 limes)
    • 1tablespoon finely grated lime zest, plus more for garnish
    • Whipped cream, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Toss in the butter cubes serially, to keep them separate while coating them evenly in flour. Using a fork, cut the butter into the flour, continuing to toss them as you do, until they’re roughly the size of peas.

  2. Step 2

    Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over the flour-and-butter mixture. Using your fork, toss to incorporate, then continue to add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough begins to come together as you stir it. Using your hands, fold the dough over itself a few times, adding just enough water so that it holds together.

  3. Step 3

    Form the dough into a disk about 1-inch thick, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to a couple of days.

  4. Step 4

    When you’re ready to make the pie, first prepare the pie shell: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is roughly 12 inches in diameter, then fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp edges, then, using the tines of a fork, pierce the bottom crust 8 to 12 times. Line dough with a sheet of parchment paper, and spread evenly with pie weights. Place the pie crust on a baking sheet, and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the edges are set. You want it slightly underdone. Carefully remove the pie weights and parchment, and let cool completely on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

  5. Step 5

    Make the filling: In a large bowl, use a whisk to beat the egg yolks until they are thick, then gradually beat in the condensed milk, then the lime juice. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime zest.

  6. Step 6

    In a medium bowl, use a whisk to beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then fold them gently into the condensed-milk mixture. Pour into the cooled pie shell.

  7. Step 7

    Place the pie back on the sheet pan and bake until the filling is just set in the center, about 20 minutes. It need not be completely firm because the filling thickens as it cools.

  8. Step 8

    Cool the pie on a rack, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Serve topped with whipped cream and about 1 teaspoon grated lime zest.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
755 user ratings
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Comments

Sandi’s

I use a graham cracker pie crust. Much easier and tastier.

Tara

This is lime pie, NOT key lime pie. Graham cracker crust = key lime pie Meringue topping = key lime pie

Cincy Foodie

This is a Florida Lime Pie, NOT a Key Lime Pie. Ms. Nickerson knew the differences. Different limes and taste. Great recipe. Love the density and flavor of Key Lime Pie, but no one in my house is a fan of graham cracker crust. Sweet and too competitive with the "main event." It's so amusing to read comments. Every cook has their "take" on any recipe. Fair enough! Having lived in Florida for years, I've tasted dozens of versions of both fillings, crusts, and toppings. Try this. It's delicious.

dazednconfused

I will likely make this as is, but if I find key lime juice, can I substitute the exact same volume?

Mia

I loved loved loved the filling! It was perfect! With regular limes :) The only thing is I wish I had read the notes about the crust. It was undercooked at the bottom, and too crunchy on the edges. Will definitely make again but definitely will use another pie crust recipe

SS

This was good - because of the whipped egg whites the filling looked a lot more than an omelet than I was comfortable with lol. Also I think the crust needs to be pre-baked for less time

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Credits

Adapted from Jane Nickerson

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