This is our take on Mary Berry’s take on what essentially is a Key Lime Pie, except ours isn’t. Our is a zesty lemon and lime pie with a soft and crumbly gingernutty biscuit base – and it’s absolutely to die for! It requires minimal skill, and minimal effort to make, plus it’s a total crowd pleaser – we haven’t come across anyone who doesn’t love this pie. Creamy, zesty, biscuity and downright delicious, what’s not to love?
What's in it and how do I make it?
The ingredient list is very straightforward. The filling consists of:
- Double Cream
- Condensed Milk
- Juice and Zest of fresh lemon and limes.
Once set, this filling is a light and creamy delight with lots of zing from the lemon and limes. No eggs or baking needed here, when the citric juices are added just watch how it thickens instantly, and once refrigerated for at least 6 hours it’s set and ready to eat.
The base is a typical cheesecake base and ours is made using:
- Gingernut Biscuits
- Digestive Biscuits
- Demerara Sugar
- Melted Butter
Once spread into the tin, this base is chilled for half an hour for the butter to harden slightly and make the base easier to work with.The filling is then spread over the top, into every nook and cranny and set in the fridge together.
In summary, this recipe is simply two parts. First, making and mixing the biscuit base and second, mixing the filling ingredients together. There is no whipping, no cooking and zero baking – it’s foolproof.
Video Tutorial
The Recipe
Lemon & Lime No Bake Pie
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl x2
- Whisk
- Loose bottom cake tin (about 8 inches)
- Saucepan
- Rolling Pin
- 2x Food Bags
- Juicer and sieve
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 Large Limes
- 1 Medium Lemon
- 400 g Condensed Milk
- 300 ml Double Cream
Base
- 100 g Digestive Biscuits
- 100 g Gingernut Biscuits
- 80 g Unsalted Butter
- 30 g Demerara Sugar
Instructions
The Base
- Put the digestives in a food bag, squeeze the air out fully and crush with a rolling pin.
- Put the Gingernuts in a food bag, squeeze the air out fully and crush with a rolling pin.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan and take off the heat, let it cool a little
- Add both crushed biscuits to a mixing bowl along with the butter and the sugar. Mix well and combine.
- In the loose bottom tin, add the biscuit butter mix in the centre and spread outwards and up the sides. Make sure it's packed tightly.Top Tip - Use the back of a spoon to spread it out, and a smaller spoon to spread it up the sides. Try to keep the base relatively thick and even.
- Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up slightly.
The Filling
- Grate the zest of the lemon and limes.Top Tip - just grate the skin, be careful not to grate the pith (the bitter white part).
- Cut each lemon and lime in half and juice them.Top Tip - Use a sieve to make sure the juice is really smooth.
- Put the double cream and condensed milk into a mixing bowl and mix together well.
- Add the lemon and lime juice to the mixing bowl and combine with the cream and condensed milk. Watch how it now thickens.
- Fold through 2/3 of the lemon and lime zest
- Pour into the chilled biscuit lined tin. Spread evenly across the top and ensure the edges are packed tightly.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally 10-12, to set.
Serving
- Once set, top with the remaining lemon/lime zest - or feel free to grate some fresh (this has a more vibrant green colour). Top Tip - for the zest topping, it's best to use a proper zester, and best to do the zesting when ready to serve.
- To remove from the tin, place your hand underneath the tin and push upwards slowly. Gently remove the outer rim with your free hand and place the pie down on a serving plate.
- Slice with a big, sharp knife and serve with a side of extra thick double cream.
Notes
- Crush the digestives and ginger nuts separately, as the latter take a lot of crushing.
- When filling the tin full of biscuit, use the back of a spoon to spread it out, and a smaller spoon to spread it up the sides. Try to keep the base relatively thick and even.
- When grating the lemon and lime zests, just grate the skin, be careful not to grate the pith (the bitter white part). It will add unnecessary bitterness.
- Use a sieve to make sure the juice from the lemons and lime are super smooth.
- Chill for 12 hours for best results, although it is ready to eat after 6ish hours. So if time is against you, it's possible.
- This is a well balanced pie and has a lovely zing to it, when served with extra thick double cream it just works perfectly. Far better than whipped cream.
