Recipe Of The Day: Disney's Chocolate-Crusted Key Lime Pie

There are some things you just have to eat when traveling across the United States: a slice of pizza in New York City, a breakfast taco in Texas and a bowl of clam chowder in Massachusetts. When in Florida, one dish reigns supreme: key lime pie. Tart, sweet, creamy and cool, this dessert was named the official state pie of the Sunshine State in 2006.

United States of Food: Official State Foods

Key lime pie is one of those foods that always tastes better when you're on vacation, but the cravings for this particular treat often subsist long after you've gone back home again. Luckily, we have a fabulous key lime pie recipe straight from Florida's top tourist destination: Walt Disney World.

This chocolate-crusted key lime pie was served at The Grand Floridian Cafe at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Though a different version of this Floridian classic is served at the restaurant today, this key lime pie stands the test of time thanks to its decadent chocolate crust, which gives it the perfect balance of sweetness, tartness and richness.

Though this dessert was served at a restaurant, it's shockingly easy to replicate at home. The chocolate crust, a key to making this dessert, is created using pantry staples along with plenty of cocoa powder, making this one of the best desserts for chocolate lovers.

The filling also couldn't be simpler. It's just a combination of sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and key lime juice blended together. You certainly could use fresh key limes and juice them, but the small fruits don't tend to yield a ton of juice. We recommend using good quality bottled key lime juice, which can be found at most grocery stores.

This chocolate and citrus concoction is truly an all-American delight, but after whipping this up, why not try your hand at making more of the most iconic desserts from every state?

Chocolate-Crusted Key Lime Pie

This recipe is from Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and was originally published in the Orlando Sentinel.

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 stick butter, slightly softened

• 1 egg

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 8 ounces raw rice for baking pie shell

For the filling:

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

• 4 egg yolks

• 1/2 cup Key lime juice

• Sweetened whipped cream

Directions:

For the crust:

Step 1: In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 stick butter until creamy. Add 1 egg and mix.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, sift 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add to the sugar-butter mix. Mix until combined.

Step 3: When all is combined, place between parchment paper. Flatten slightly and chill 1 hour.

Step 4: Preheat oven to 350 F.

Step 5: Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness and place in pie pan or tart pan. Cut a circle of parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom and sides of dough. Place paper on dough. Place 8 ounces raw rice on the paper (to hold it down).

Step 6: Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove parchment and rice, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool.

For the filling:

Step 1: In a bowl, combine 14-ounces sweetened condensed milk and 4 egg yolks. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed. Slowly add 1/2 cup Key lime juice while mixing on low, until blended.

Step 2: Pour into cooled crust. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Chill until cold, preferably overnight. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream.