Key Lime Pie

This Pie has a lot of steps, but each one is simple and the finished pie is soooo decadent and delicious

you will need a prepared crust--recipe follows


Filling:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 egg yolks
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup lime Juice ( key lime if you've got it but regular works just fine!)
Zest of 2 limes ( about a table spoon or so)
18 drops liquid splenda or other sweetener ( 3/4 cup sugar equivalent)
1/4 cup xylitol or erythritol
1 1/4 tsp unflavored gelatin

sprinkle gelatin into 2 tablepoons of cold water in a small bowl; allow to soften about 10 min while you prepare the cream.

Whisk the egg yolks in separate medium sized bowl ( large enough to contain the whole amount of cream) set aside

Soften the cream cheese in it's own bowl and beat or whisk until it is lump free and fluffy. Set aside

Heat the cream plus sweeteners in a heavy medium sized saucepan on the stove top to just under boiling--(about 180 degrees on an instant read thermometer) SLOWLY add the hot cream to the egg yolks a bit at a time whisking the whole way till all combined then return the cream and egg mixture to the heat. heat and stir until mixture thickens slightlyand temperature returns to 180. This takes just a minute or two. (I usually go by the steam rising from the cream: the mixture starts steaming well just before it boils--thats when your done. . You can also test by dipping a metal spoon in -- if the cream coats the back of the spoon and if your finger can make a track through the cream that doesn't run back together --it's done.)

You are just trying to cook the eggs through to avoid any issues of Salmonella etc. The thickening comes more from the gelatin, so don't get too wrapped up in whether it is done or not--as long as it is well heated , that's fine.

Take the cream/egg mixture off the heat and add the softened gelatin to it. Stir for several minutes until the gelatin is well melted and thoroughly incorporated into the cream. Add the lime juice and the zest.

Now, slowly whisk the cream mixture into the softened cream cheese. at this point you can pour the filling directly into the pie shell and chill, but I like to allow the filling to cool and thicken a bit first. Put it into the fridge and stir occasionally as it cools. Or put the bowl with the filling in it into a larger bowl of ice water and cool it that way--again stirring every few minutes 'til it is cool and slightly thick. ( the filling doesn't go into the water--just the bowl sits into it. Just wanted to make sure that's clear!!) then pour into the cooled pie shell and chill several hours.

Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

"Crumb" Crust

1 1/2 cups almond flour
5 Tablespoons melted Butter
2 Tablespoons Oat flour
1/4 cup poly dextrose
2 T xylitol
6 drops liquid splenda or other sweetener( 1/4 cup sugar equivalent)
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Mix together either by hand or in a food processor. Press evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie pan. bake at 350 for 10 min. Take out of oven and allow to cool slightly then brush all over with beaten egg white. Put back into oven for about 5 min to set the egg white. Cool completely before adding pie filling