Paul Hollywood’s key lime pie is the ultimate dessert for summer 2025

Name: Paul Hollywood’s key lime pie is the ultimate dessert for summer 2025
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 8-10 portions
Ingredients: 1 lime; 200 g of digestive biscuits; 125 g of unsalted butter, melted; 4 large egg yolks; 400 g of tin condensed milk; finely grated zest and juice of 5 limes; 250 ml of double cream; 1 finely grated zest of a lime

The Great British Bake Off judge’s new book features seasonal sweat and savory bakes to enjoy throughout the year, including some indulgent summer fruit delights

90 min

easy

8-10 portions

By: Paul Hollywood

Celebrity chef Paul Hollywood is best known for his role as a judge on The Great British Bake Off and has been a mainstay on our screens since 2010. In his tenth book, Celebrate, the famous baker, who began his career at his father's bakery in Cheshire as a teenager, takes us through his favourite seasonal bakes, from asparagus tarts in spring, to stone fruits, apples and pears in Autumn.

Paul, who lives with his second wife Melissa Spalding in Kent, was appointed an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for his services to baking and broadcasting.

Key-lime-pie-decorated-with-cream — Paul Hollywood’s Celebrate, with photography by Haarala Hamilton, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, priced at £26

I love strong flavours, especially lime, so if anyone makes me a Key lime pie on Bake Off, they’re going to get a handshake! I made it when I was in Miami, where it was invented. With its crunchy crumb base, creamy filling and tangy lime flavour, to me it’s just the perfect dessert.

Ingredients

Dehydrated lime slices

1 lime

Base

200 g of digestive biscuits
125 g of unsalted butter, melted

Filling

4 large egg yolks
400 g of tin condensed milk
finely grated zest and juice of 5 limes

To decorate

250 ml of double cream
1 finely grated zest of a lime

Method

1

First, prepare the dehydrated lime slices for the decoration. Heat your oven to 110°C/100°C Fan/Gas¼. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Finely slice the lime into 2mm thick slices and lay on theprepared baking tray. Place in the oven for 1½–2 hours until the lime slices are completely dried out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

2

For the base, place the digestive biscuits in a food processor and pulse to a crumb-like texture (not toofine). Tip into a bowl, pour over the melted butter and stir to combine.

3

Spoon the crumb mixture into a loose-bottomed rectangular tart tin, 36 x 12cm, or a 20cm round tarttin, 3cm deep. Press it evenly onto the base and push the mixture up the sides of the tin to create acrust. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to set.

4

Heat your oven to 150°C/130°C Fan/Gas 2.

5

To make the filling, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and condensed milk together until smoothly combined. Add the lime zest and juice and whisk again until smooth.

6

Pour the lime filling into the prepared crust and bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes until risen andjust set. Leave to cool in the tin, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours before serving.

7

To finish, whip the cream in a bowl to firm peaks then put into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plainnozzle. Pipe a decorative cream border on the pie, arrange the dried lime slices on top and finish witha sprinkling of lime zest. Serve cut into slices.