Paul Hollywood’s key lime pie recipe

“I love strong flavours, especially lime, so if anyone makes me a key lime pie on Bake Off, they’re going to get a handshake!” says celebrity chef Paul Hollywood. “I made it when I was in Miami, where it was invented. With its crunchy crumb base, creamy filling and tangy lime flavour, to me it’s just the perfect dessert.”

Key lime pie

Ingredients
(Serves 8 -10)

Dehydrated lime slices
1 lime

For the base:
200g digestive biscuits
125g unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
4 large egg yolks
400g tin condensed milk
Finely grated zest and juice of 5 limes

To decorate:
250ml double cream
Finely grated zest of 1 lime

Method

1 First, prepare the dehydrated lime slices for the decoration. Heat your oven to 110°C/100°C Fan/Gas ¼. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Finely slice the lime into 2mm thick slices and lay on the prepared baking tray. Place in the oven for 1½–2 hours until the lime slices are completely dried out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

2 For the base, place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and pulse to a crumb-like texture (not too fine). Tip into a bowl, pour over the melted butter and stir to combine.

3 Spoon the crumb mixture into a loose-bottomed rectangular tart tin, 36 x 12cm, or a 20cm round tart tin, 3cm deep. Press it evenly onto the base and push the mixture up the sides of the tin to create a crust. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to set.

4 Heat your oven to 150°C/130°C Fan/Gas 2.

5 To make the filling, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and condensed milk together until smoothly combined. Add the lime zest and juice and whisk again until smooth.

6 Pour the lime filling into the prepared crust and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until risen and just set. Leave to cool in the tin, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.

7 To finish, whip the cream in a bowl to firm peaks then put into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe a decorative cream border on the pie, arrange the dried lime slices on top and finish with a sprinkling of lime zest. Serve cut into slices.

Celebrate by Paul Hollywood is published in hardback by Bloomsbury Publishing, priced £26. Photography by Haarala Hamilton. Available June 5.