Stylist Daniel Gaines turns to this nostalgic recipe as an easy-to-make dessert when entertaining at home.
Over 100 years old, Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami serves a world-renowned key lime pie that Daniel Gaines certifies as the best. “I’m always looking for one thing to make that is low-effort and high-reward, so you don’t drive yourself crazy after making a whole elaborate meal,” says the New York-based stylist who grew up looking forward to a slice and now serves up a version of his own. His recipe of choice from food writer and chef J. Kenji López comes with a twist: layers and layers of Ritz crackers.
Ingredients
- 2 14-ounce cans of sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest, plus more for serving
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 85 Ritz crackers (about 3 sleeves)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the condensed milk and heavy cream until combined.
- Add the lime zest and juice and whisk until the texture is thickened.
- Spread one cup of the mixture on the bottom of a deep-dish pie plate or a similar large shallow dish.
- Top with a single layer of Ritz crackers and repeat, alternating layers of filling and crackers until the dish is full. Make sure to top with a layer of filling
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Serve cold and top with additional lime zest if you’d like.