American Key Lime Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 baked, 9-inch pastry shell
  
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 4 eggs, separated
  
• 1/2 cup lime juice
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 teaspoon grated lime peel
  
• Green food coloring
  
• 1 cup whipping cream
  
• Sweetened whipped cream for topping
  
• Grated lime peel, grated pistachio nuts and thin lime slices for garnish

TO PREPARE:

Thoroughly mix gelatin, 1/2 cup of the sugar and salt in saucepan.  Beat together the egg yolks, lime juice and water; stir into gelatin mixture.  Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat; stir in grated lime peel.  Add food coloring, sparingly, to tint a pale green.  Chill, stirring occasionally, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.  Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar.  Continue beating until stiff peaks are formed.  Fold into chilled gelatin mixture.  Whip cream and fold into mixture.  Pile into cooled, baked pastry shell.  Chill until firm.  Spread with additional whipped cream.  Stand lime slices all around edge of pie; garnish with grated lime peel and pistachio nuts.

SERVES:  6

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