Key Lime Pie Dip

Here is the best, last minute St. Patrick's Day recipe ever.

E.V.E.R.

It is probably one of the tastiest dips you will ever eat, it takes about 2 seconds to make, and is soooo easy peasy. I'm thinking this is going to be my new go-to recipe for those last minute invites to dinner at friends or family's homes. You could make this lime, lemon, or orange and it would be divine.

For St. Patrick's Day I have chosen to go with some key limes and a few drops of green food coloring to stay in the spirit of the holiday.

Key Lime Pie Dip

Ingredients

1st Layer

3 egg yolks

4 key limes, juiced (1/2 cup of juice)

1 tsp lime zest

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (a little more than a cup)

few drops of green food coloring (optional)

2nd Layer

1 cup whipping cream

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Pie Crust Dippers

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shortening

1 egg (small)

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 tsp brown sugar

water

Directions

1st Layer: In a medium saucepan over medium to medium/low heat, whisk together egg yolks, lime juice, and lime zest. Stir often until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Set bowl into an ice bath to cool.

Once cooled, stir in sweetened condensed milk and food coloring, if using, until well combined.

Spread this first layer onto your serving platter.

2nd Layer: In a medium size bowl, beat whipping cream together with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Spread over bottom layer. Zest a little lime zest on top for decoration, if desired.

Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Pie crust dippers: Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a half cup measuring cup, using a fork, whisk together small egg, vinegar, and brown sugar. Whisk in enough water to fill the half cup.

Using the fork, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until dough starts to form. Use your hands to knead the dough together 3 or 4 times to form a ball.

Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thickness, it doesn't have to be exact - you just want it thick enough to be stable when you pick it up.

Cut into strips or use any shaped cookie cutter and cut out. Remember not to make them too big!

Place on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 for 5 minutes. Turn heat to 350 and bake until crust is lightly browned, about 10 - 15 minutes, keep an eye on it it it gets too brown it will be brittle and may fall apart when people pick it up to dip it.

Remove from heat and let cool on wire racks.

Serve with your Key Lime Pie Dip.

You could, of course, top this with a meringue and toast it with a kitchen torch. I, however, do not really like meringue.

Whip cream all the way, baby.

Want to know how you can make this even easier?

1. Store bought pie crust OR vanilla wafer cookies.

2. Cool Whip instead of whipping cream.

3. Lemon Pie Filling in a can or store bought Lemon Curd.

Did I tell you this was easy peasy, or what?

I definitely have a new favorite!

Be sure to stop by Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons and My Turn (for us) and Ms. enPlace and Carole's Chatter and Memories By The Mile for some great links.