Key limes add zest to coconut dessert pie

BY ANGELA DAIDONE

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

ANGELA IN THE KITCHEN

Of all the fruit flavors available to us, the most refreshing has to be those gems we find in the citrus family.

So when I was asked to prepare a dessert, the first to come to mind was this fabulous lemon coconut pie recipe. Except I happened to have fresh key limes and thought, ooh, there's a nice surprise.

Key limes are a lot tinier than regular limes, and with a distinctly tarter taste their more popular cousins, Persian limes. Key limes are also not available year-round, so I recommend you grab them whenever possible.

A squirt of key lime juice can jazz up a glass of iced tea, a green salad, or a dessert — like the one that follows. Because they're so tiny, you need a bunch of them, but it will be worth it, for sure. One last note: don't be fooled by the photo of my pie. Fresh key lime juice has a yellowish tint, not green. But if you prefer a bit of color, add a drop or two of food coloring. It will not affect the taste.

WHAT YOU NEED

1 Prepared pie crust (refrigerated or frozen)
1-1/2 cups sugar
½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tbs. lime zest
¼ cup key lime juice (requires about 12 key limes)
¼ cup low-fat milk
2 tbs. flour
Dash salt
4 eggs

HOW TO PREPARE

Preheat oven to 375.
Beat all ingredients until smooth.
Pour into pastry.
Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Insert a knife to make sure center is set.
Refrigerate until cool.
Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Enjoy!

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