Vegan (Key) Lime Pie
Even though this Key Lime Pie looks like a not-so-complicated pie, it took much longer to make than I thought in the beginning. First, the cream wasn't solid, then too greasy, then I used the wrong oil and the wrong plant-based milk until finally, everything fits. But you can finally find the final recipe here! But what exactly is a Key Lime Pie all about?
Originally, the Key Lime Pie comes from Key West, the southernmost point of Florida. Correct, hence the name! The pie is made with Key Limes, and they're from the Keys (the chain of islands south of Florida) or Mexico. Key limes are much smaller than the limes we know from the supermarket. Since there're no Key Limes to buy in Germany, we can't actually prepare a Key Lime Pie in theory (hence the brackets in the recipe name), but who wants to miss out on a delicious lime pie? So consider this recipe a take on the original Key Lime Pie, whose filling is also usually made with condensed milk, eggs, sometimes sour cream, and limes.
In my first two attempts, I also tried making vegan condensed milk. The preparation was no problem. However, the consistency behaved quite differently during further processing than one is used to from animal condensed milk. Therefore, I opted for a mixture of plant-based cream, sugar, and flour, which in the end also gives a thick, sweet cream, just like thickened condensed milk. Because of the flour, the sweet vegan cream thickens quite wonderfully and doesn't need to be baked with it. Regarding the toppings, you are, of course, free. I've decorated the pie quite classically with whipped vegan cream and lime.
Vegan (Key) Lime Pie
Ingredients
For the base:
- 130 g (4.66 oz) vegan butter
- 350 g (12.33 oz) vegan butter cookies
For the filling:
- 500 ml (2 cups) vegan cream
- 100 g (3.5 oz) wheat flour type 405
- 80 g (2.75 oz) sugar
- 150 ml (0.66 oz) sunflower oil
- 5 limes (grated)
- 2 limes (juice)
- 100 ml (0.5 cup) lime juice
For the topping:
- 200 ml (0.75 cup) vegan cream for whipping
- 8 g (2 tsp) cream stiffener
- 8 g (1.5 tsp) vanilla sugar
- 2 limes
- 1 lime (grated)
Instructions
Bottom
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (circulating air). Melt the vegan butter and put it in a blender with the vegan butter cookies. Blend until very fine crumbs are formed.
Grease a cake pan (28 cm / 11 inches diameter), pour in the cookie mixture, and press down firmly with a tablespoon, the bottom of a cup, or your hands.
Bake at 180°C/350°F (circulating air) for approx. 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and let cool.
Filling
Wash the limes, grate the peel and squeeze out the juice.
In a small saucepan, whisk together the vegan cream, flour, sugar, sunflower oil, lime zest, and juice.
Heat the mixture slowly and simmer for approx. 2-3 minutes, constantly stirring, until it thickens.
Put the mixture in a blender and mix until the cream emulsifies. It prevents the oil from separating from the mixture.
Spread the cream over the cooled base and allow the Key Lime Pie to cool completely (preferably overnight).
Topping
Whip the vegan cream with cream stiffener and vanilla sugar. Then transfer to a piping bag and decorate the pie with it as desired - for example, with dabs of the cream.
Cut limes into slices and cut each slice in half again. Decorate the pie with the slices and sprinkle with the zest of one lime. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
