Bimini Key Lime Pie Shots... Recipe
Does anyone remember how Bimini was "put on the map?" Aside from Ernest Hemingway living on the tiny island 53 miles east of Miami or the Duke of Windsor visiting years ago...there was another hystorical (when hysteria and history meet) event that made Bimini all the talk...from Wikipedia:
"In May 1987, Colorado Senator Gary Hart's presidential bid was derailed after media reports exposed an affair with model Donna Rice. Photos taken of the Senator on an overnight trip to Bimini on the yacht Monkey Business fed the media frenzy. An intimate photo of Rice sitting on the lap of Hart on one of Bimini's docks was the nail in the coffin for Hart's campaign for the presidency."
Marrried Senator + Model = Monkey Business! Not even The National Enquirer could have made that one up! Okay, let's move on...Bimini is known for other notable things, like Jimmy Margaritaville Buffet writing one of his books there...not quite as impressive as the Democratic Senator writing his swan song...hahaha...trying to moving on...Bimini, which is said to be a very charming little island, is known for something else, something even more provacative than Senatorial Sex...their Key Lime Pie. It's different. It's a no-bake pie that's so light, refreshing and smooth it'll make you want to slap the nearest Democrat and scream God Bless America!
In case you don't happen to own 65 or so shot glasses and you're not needing pie shots for a baby shower, you can make a 9-inch pie like normal people...it will taste just as great. The crust for this delectable island dessert is made with graham crackers and coconut...ya mon, co-co-nut! And then, even though the crust is fabulous and the filling, almost defying description, you top the little things with a piece of candied lime peel...mi gotta say mon, dees are bashy baby, upright bashy! (I don't know where the island slang came from, it just kind of took over my brain...bashy means really, really good...in case you're not up to speed!)
For the shower I also made Lemon-Strawberry Pie Shots, with the same graham-coconut crust...and while they were very good, the Bimini Key Lime Pie Shots stole the show...make them and see for yourself! This may look like a long and involved recipe - it's not - it's fast and easy and there's not another dessert out there that will WOW your family/guests better than this...5 dangs on the ol' meter my friend...FIVE! This one is dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good!
- Bimini Key Lime Pie Shots - Adapted From The Bimini Sea Shack/The Key Lime Cookbook by Joyce Young
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup Key Lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Graham-Coconut Crust:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (if you can't find unsweetened coconut, use sweetened and omit the sugar)
- 9 graham crackers, broken into big pieces
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Candied Lime Peel Garnish, optional, but so worth it:
- 1 lime
- 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for coating lime peel slivers
To make the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spread the coconut into a 9-inch glass pie plate and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and being careful not to burn. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until they are coarse crumbs. Put the crumbs into a medium-bowl and add the coconut, sugar and the melted butter. Toss with a fork to combine. If you are making a pie, use the same 9-inch glass pie plate, press the crumb mixture into the pie plate and up the sides. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to flatten out the bottom and sides, spreading the crust as evenly as possible. Bake the crust until a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool the crust on a wire rack while making the filling. If you are making the pie shots, after mixing in the coconut, sugar and butter, press about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the crust mixture into the bottoms of 15 shot glasses, using the end of a spatula to tamp down.
To make the filling: Place milk, cream cheese and lime juice in blander or food processor. Process on low speed until smooth. Add vanilla. Process until mixed. Pour mixture into crust, if making a pie, and chill in refrigerator until set, about 3 to 4 hours or overnight. If making the pie shots, carefully spoon about a tablespoon or so into each shot glass, filling almost to the top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours for shots, or up to overnight.
To make candied lime peel: Place 1/4 cup sugar in small sauce pan and 1/4 water. Bring to a boil. Cut lime into slices then carefully go around the edges, removing the peel only, leaving the white pith. Cut peel into small slivers. and put into boiling sugar water. Reduce heat to a simmer and let boil for 5 minutes. Remove lime peel with a slotted spoon and drop into a small bowl of granulated sugar to coat. Discard sugar water. Use as a garnish for the pie shots or the pie.
Note: You can use a purchased graham cracker crust...I won't judge you...and you can also top the shots/pie with whipped cream if you haven't met your cream quota for the day. This recipe makes one 9-inch pie or 15 pie shots, but lest you think one shot is enough for one person...plan on two per person because one is never enough!