On the other hand, the Key Lime, Mexican Lime or West Indian Lime, (botanical name, Citrus aurantifolia), is round and small (Ping Pong ball size and smaller), a lighter shade of green (often yellow) with a thin skin and a delicate aroma. You can grow it in Florida and in southern California, but you'll find it only occasionally in supermarkets. It is thought to have originated in Southeast Asia several centuries ago and traveled, first with the Arabs to the Mediterranean , then with the Crusaders to Europe. The trees came to the string of Florida islands known as The Keys by way of Christopher Columbus who brought citrus fruits with him on his second voyage to the Caribbean Sea in 1493, when lime trees were planted first in Haiti, then called Hispaniola. As the people of the Caribbean moved around, they took with them the seeds of this tart and aromatic fruit and by the early nineteenth century there were groves of lime trees in Key West, the southernmost point of the continental United States.

What Key West lacked, however, was cows, and milk and cream were hard to come by until Gail Borden invented sweetened condensed milk in the mid 1800's. This canned product was a boon to the "Conchs," as natives of Key West are known, and they soon used it to create a lime pie, similar to a favorite Caribbean dessert made with sour oranges. They were also quick to realize the new dish would cook itself because of the acidic content of lime juice.

It can take up to 12 of the small key limes to make 1/2 cup of the juice, more than twice the number of Persian limes, but if you can find the key limes in your supermarket (ask the produce manager when to expect them!), it is well worth it.

If you MUST use Persian limes, substitute lemon juice for half the amount of juice and you will approximate the more delicate key lime flavor. You will also approximate the yellow-green color which is distinctive of the key lime juice (NEVER use green coloring in a Key Lime pie -- it's a phony giveaway!).

Bottled juice will also work and you might want to consider freezing extra juice (either fresh or bottled) for later use. Just pour the juice into an ice cube tray, pop out the cubes when frozen and put them in a plastic bag and you'll have lime juice on hand without worrying about its discoloring over time.

LUSCIOUS KEY LIME CAKE

Cake
1 package Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 (4 ounce) package lemon instant pudding and pie filling mix
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Glaze
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup Key lime juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Confectioners' sugar (for garnish)
Lime slices (for garnish)
Fresh strawberry slices (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.

For cake: Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until moistened. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes.

Remove cake from pan onto cooling rack. Return cake to pan. Poke holes in top of warm cake with wooden pick or long-tined fork.

For glaze, combine 2 cups confectioners' sugar, fresh lime juice, water and melted butter in medium bowl. Pour slowly over top of warm cake. Cool completely.

Invert onto serving plate. Dust with additional confections sugar. Garnish with lime slices and strawberry slices, if desired.

Key Lime Pound Cake (With Key Lime Glaze)

Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan. Mix together the flour and baking powder. Cream together butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in key lime juice and vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn it out onto wire rack. While warm, prick top of cake with toothpick. Pour Key Lime Glaze over warm cake. Cool completely.

Key Lime Glaze
In small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and key lime juice. Bring to boil. Continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Combine crust ingredients and stir well. Press crumb mixture evenly over bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy; gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lime rind, juice and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until set. Combine sour cream and 3 tablespoons sugar; stir well and spread evenly over cheesecake. Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack; chill at least 8 hours. To serve, carefully remove sides of springform pan. If desired, garnish with strawberries and lime slices. Yield: one 9-inch cheesecake.

No Bake Soy KeyLime Cheesecake

Make crust with crumb mixture from cheesecake mix, sugar and melted margarine. Mix all ingredients in 9-inch pie plate until crumbs are well moistened. Press firmly against sides of pie plate first, using fingers or large spoon to shape edge. Press remaining crumbs firmly on bottom using hands or measuring cup. Blend filling mixture with silken tofu, lime juice and lime zest in food processor or blender until smooth and creamy. Filling will be thick. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate at least one hour before cutting.

Yield: 8 pie wedges. Serving size: 1 wedge. Per serving: 290 calories, 14 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 6 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 411 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol.

Key Lime Danish Pastries

Combine 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, yeast, and salt; set aside. In a saucepan combine water, milk, and 1/2 cup margarine. Heat and stir just till warm (120~ to 130~) and butter is almost melted. Add to flour mixture; add egg. Beat for 30 seconds, scraping bowl. Beat for 3 mins. Stir in as much remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is elastic (6 to 8 mins. total). Shape into a ball. Place in a greased bowl. Cover; let rise in warm place till double (about 1 hr.). Punch down. Turn out onto a floured surface. Divide in half. Cover; let rest for 10 mins.

For filling, combine cheese, peel, 2 tbsp juice, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar.

For icing, combine powdered sugar, 1 tbsp juice, and 1 tsp margarine. Set aside.

On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 14"x9" rectangle. Top with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Roll up from a long side; seal seams. Cut into 12 slices; arrange 2" apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Make indentations; fill with a scant tbsp of filling. Repeat with remaining dough, sugar, and filling. Bake in a 375~ oven for 18 to 20 mins. or till golden. Let stand 2 mins., top with icing. Serve warm.

Note - freeze some of these buns, then reheat in the microwave.

Key Lime Snow

A nice light zesty dessert. From "We’re eating Light and Loving it" (A collection of Recipes from participants and friends of the St. Paul’s hospital Lipid Clinic- Edited by Frances Johnson and Shauna Ratner).

i n g r e d i e n t s
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup (125 ml) cold water
3/4 cup (200 ml) sugar
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) boiling water
1/2 teasponn (2 ml) grated key lime peel
1/2 cup (125ml) key lime juice, fresh
4 egg whites

d i r e c t i o n s
Sprinkle unflavoured gelatin over cold water in a large bowl and let stand five minutes. Stir in sugar until blended. Add boiling water & stir until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add grated lime peel & lime juice. Chill until slightly thickened (about 15 min).

Beat egg whites until stiff. While beating, gradually add gelatin mixture until soft peeks form. Spoon into 8 individual dessert cups or 1 large serving bowl. Chill for 2 hours. Garnish with a twisted lime peel.