For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 8 oz (1,7/8 cups) all purpose (plain) flour

• 4 oz ( 1 stick) very cold butter, cut small

• 2 oz (1/4 cup) sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp. Salt

• Iced water

Lemon filling:

• 1,1/4 cups sugar

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 3 tbsp. All-purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp. Salt

• 1, 1/2 cups water

• 3 jumbo eggs yolks, beat lightly in a metal or ceramic bowl

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• 2 lemons- zest and juice and keep separate.

Stabilized Whipped Cream:

• 1 pint ( 16 FL. Oz) heavy cream

• 2 tbsp vanilla pudding powder

• 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Method

1. Set oven to 375F

2. Grease a 9 inch, deep springform pie pan. ( springform gives better results, but you can use a regular 9 inch pie dish)

Pastry:

1. Add flour, sugar, salt , butter to a stand mixer and mix on the lowest speed until mix resembles fine breadcrumbs- about 5 minutes.

2. Turn up to second lowest speed.

3. Beat 1 egg with a little iced water.

4. Add to the flour mixture, a little at a time, adding more water, as needed until dough is formed and comes away from the sides of the bowl . Dough should be soft but not too wet.

5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about a minute.

6. Roll out to about 1/8th inch thickness and cover base of pie dish, pressing down carefully and triming off excess.

7. Place parchment paper inside the pastry and fill the dish with baking beans or dried beans.

8. Blind bake in center of oven for about 20 - 30 minutes.

9. When cooked, set aside to cool slightly before removing the parchment paper and baking beans.

Make the lemon filling:

1. In a fairly large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually add the water, beating continuously to remove all lumps.

2. Transfer to large saucepan and cook on medium high heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir constantly.

3. Add a little of this mixture to the beaten eggs, stirring constantly.

4. Add a little more, then add all back to the remaining mixture in the saucepan and cook until bubbling and very thick.

5. Remove from the heat.

6. Beat into this the butter, lemon zest and juice. Return to the heat and stir constantly until bubbling again.

7. Set aside to cool slightly.

8. Fill the pastry pie shell with the lemon filling and refrigerate until cold

Stabilized whipped cream:

1. Using an electric hand mixer.

2. Add heavy cream, vanilla pudding powder and confectioners’ sugar to a bowl and beat on high until very stiff and forms peaks.

3. Just before serving, push the pie from the springform pan.

4. Cover the top completely with the whipped cream and decorate with shaved chocolate.

Recipe from Joan Saunders, DBE in NJ State Organizer