Key Lime Pie Filling - Thins out after pumping
Key Lime pie filling thickens once the lime juice is added to the sweetened condensed milk and allowed to sit. Why does the filling thin out when it is pumped and require static hold time to thicken back up?
Best Answer
I've been making KLP commercially for well over 20-years and long before that growing up in Miami. Gone for me (on a commercial ever) are the days of using fresh egg yolks, but on occasion we might make one when visiting friends, from scratch. It is very important when incorporating the lime juice into the SCM-yolk mixture that it be done gently, never use a blender of mechanical mixer. You will see the chemical interaction between the yolks and juice start to take effect, "clumping" (for lack of a better word right now) will occur as the mixture begins to thicken. Also, the colder the ingredients, the better. If the mix is overworked, you go beyond that magic moment and it is very difficult to have the filling "set."
Another aspect is the juice. I would never recommend using a bottled juice over fresh, even if you're using fresh regular (Persian) limes. The most popular bottled juice used isn't even real key lime juice, but truthfully packaged as "Key West Lime Juice," concentrated lime juice packaged in Key West (not even any more.) The from-concentrate and reconstituted juice just doesn't hold up as well as (any) fresh juice.
On a commercial level, we now add (beef) gelatin to our mix, about 1/4 tablespoon per 10-inch pie. This is for insurance, as most of our customers are restaurants who need to cut and plate and cannot afford the sloppy-factor. The gelatin is blossomed in the juice then (under warm heat) after mixing with the juice it is allowed to cool. At that point the juice is incorporated into the SCM-yolk mix. This trace amount seems to be just enough to have the filling set right without adding any gumminess.
This answer is of course for the "fill and chill" method for making a KLP, as baking the pie once the filling is added causes the egg to cook and therefore sets the pie filling. Good luck! I hope this helped. Happy New Year!
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Why is my key lime pie runny?
Why is my key lime pie runny? Key lime pie will be runny if it hasn't fully set. Make sure you let it chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before slicing into it!What happens when you overcook key lime pie?
When a key lime pie is overcooked, it loses its creamy texture and turns spongy. Remember to only cook the pie for 15 minutes.Is key lime pie supposed to be jiggly?
It's tricky to know when the pie is done, but here's my secret: bake the key lime pie until the filling is only slightly jiggly in the center (about 15-20 minutes). It should be firm to the touch, but not completely liquid or totally solid. The pie will continue to solidify as it cools.Why is my key lime pie lumpy?
Why is my key lime pie lumpy? The culprit is most likely the cream cheese not getting smooth enough while mixing it. To make the cream cheese easier to beat, let it sit out at room temperature first for at least one hour to make it easier to beat smooth.Key Lime Pie (Classic Version) - Joyofbaking.com
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