Marshmallow-Almond Key Lime Pie

Summer solstice. Longest day of the year. I noted this to my toddlers at circle time and one of them, Elijah, who has graduated from being a penguin to being what he calls a summer kid, nodded very seriously and said the sun lives longer in summer. I told him that was exactly right. He looked pleased with himself. I wrote it in his file under language development because that metaphor is genuinely remarkable for a three-year-old and I want someone to know it happened.

Father's Day was yesterday and I have been thinking about James. He is not my father in any legal sense but he has been the closest thing I have had to one since I was fourteen. He does not say much but he means what he says and he shows up and he eats whatever I cook without complaint and when he thinks I have done something well he nods once in a specific way that I have learned to recognize as James Martin saying well done. That is not nothing. That is actually quite a lot.

I made him a peach pie for Father's Day, his favorite. Fresh Alabama peaches, halved and pitted and sliced, tossed with sugar and cinnamon and a little nutmeg and cornstarch to thicken the filling. Double crust, crimped carefully, egg washed and dusted with turbinado sugar. I baked it until the crust was deep golden and the filling was bubbling through the vent slits. He had two slices and said it was good. That is essentially a James Martin standing ovation. I drove home feeling like I had done right by someone important.

James got his peach pie, and it felt exactly right — but every time I bake for someone I love without condition, I end up thinking about the whole language of pie, how a good one says the things that are hard to say out loud. This Marshmallow-Almond Key Lime Pie has become my second language in that same vocabulary: the almond crust is a little unexpected, the marshmallow gives it a softness that sneaks up on you, and the tart lime keeps it honest — which, honestly, sounds a lot like the best people I know. If you have a James in your life, bake him something. He won’t make a big deal of it, and that’s exactly the point.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min + 2 hrs chilling | Servings: 8

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted, divided
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 large egg yolks
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh or bottled key lime juice
1 teaspoon key lime zest
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
Make the almond crust. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of the toasted almonds, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Stir until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate.
Blind bake the crust. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the key lime juice and zest, whisking until fully combined.
Add the marshmallows. Fold the miniature marshmallows into the filling. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and spread evenly.
Bake the pie. Bake at 350°F for 14 to 16 minutes, until the filling is just set at the edges but still has a slight jiggle in the center. Do not overbake.
Chill. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until fully set.
Top and serve. When ready to serve, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Dollop or pipe over the chilled pie and scatter the remaining 1/4 cup toasted almonds on top. Slice and serve cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

Marshmallow-Almond Key Lime Pie — For the People Who Show Up