Grandmas Lemon Cream Pie Recipes

GRAMMY'S LEMON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the crust according to my Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust recipe, either halving the recipe (it yields enough for 2 crusts) or freezing the second crust for a later time. (I recommend making the recipe as written and freezing the second crust. It will be great to have on hand and you are going to the effort anyway, so you might as well enjoy twice the crust!)
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the pie crust, then fit into a 9-inch wide pie plate that is 1 1/2 to 2-inches deep. Trim any overhang, then crimp the crust edges as desired. Line the crust with aluminum foil or parchment paper so that the foil/paper comes all the way up the sides of the dish and fits against the sides and bottom snugly. Fill the dish with dried beans or pie weights. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the edges are barely beginning to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the foil/paper and weights, then return the crust to the oven and continue baking until the bottom looks dry and lightly golden and the edges have browned, about 5 to 8 additional minutes. The bottom of the crust will puff a little as it bakes, but it will deflate again once removed from the oven. Let cool completely.
• Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of lightly simmering water to create a double boiler. Add the eggs into the bowl, then with a hand mixer on medium speed (or a whisk and some serious arm power), beat the eggs until thick and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes if using a mixer. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar, then the lemon juice and lemon zest. Once incorporated, switch from a mixer (or whisk) to a rubber spatula. Continue to cook the mixture over the simmering water, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the bowl with your spatula, until it forms a thick, smooth custard, about 8 additional minutes. When you dip your spatula into the custard, the custard should easily coat the spatula's back, and if you draw a line through the custard on the back of the spatula with your finger, the sides of the custard should stay separated. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool to almost room temperature.
• In a large mixing bowl or a standing mixer fit with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until it is completely soft and smooth, about 3 full minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium, then gradually add the cooled lemon custard to the cream cheese, beating until smooth and fully combined so that no white streaks remain. Pour the cream cheese into the baked pastry shell. Refrigerate the pie until fully chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Up to 4 hours before serving, prepare the homemade whipped cream: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment over medium speed. When it starts to thicken, add the powdered sugar and vanilla, increase the mixer speed to high, and continue to beat until soft peaks form. (Do not overbeat or the cream will separate.) Spread over the chilled pie, slice, and serve cold.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

GRANDMA'S LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Unroll crust into a 9-in. pie plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425°. , Line crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edge is light golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°., In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir for 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir 1 cup of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan stirring constantly. , Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir in butter. Gently stir in lemon juice, vinegar and extract. Pour hot filling into pastry shell. , For meringue, combine water and cornstarch in a saucepan until smooth. Cook and stir until thickened and clear, about 2 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg whites, vanilla and salt on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gradually add cornstarch mixture, beating well on high. Immediately spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edges to crust, Bake at 350° until meringue is golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

GRANDMA'S LUSCIOUS LEMON CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
• Stir a small amount of hot filling into the egg yolks; return all to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and lemon zest. Gently stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• Fold whipped cream and sour cream into the lemon filling. Pour into the prepared pastry shell. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
• To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar and cream of tartar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

GRANDMA'S LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Lemon Filling:.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a medium-sized saucepan, add 6 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 cups water, and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil on medium heat, whisking constantly. Let simmer for a minute or two until the mixture begins to thicken.
• Once the cornstarch mixture has thickened up well (consistency of Cream of Wheat) remove from heat. Take a spoonful of the cornstarch mixture and whisk it into the beaten egg yolks to temper the yolks. Continue to whisk in spoonfuls of the cornstarch mixture until you've used about half of the cornstarch mixture.
• Then add the egg yolk mixture back to the pot with the cornstarch. Return to a boil, on medium to medium high heat, stirring constantly. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. (The starch will keep the eggs from curdling.).
• Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and butter.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Meringue:.
• In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1/3 cup of cold water until the cornstarch dissolves.
• Heat on medium heat and whisk until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Whisk together 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar, set aside.
• Place egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in the bowl of your mixer. Start beating the egg whites on low speed and gradually increase the speed to medium.
• Once the egg whites are frothy, add in the sugar and cream of tartar, a spoonful at a time. Beat until the egg whites forming soft peaks.
• Add the gelled cornstarch water mixture a spoonful at a time, as you continue to beat the egg whites. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until the egg whites have formed stiff peaks.
• Filling Pie Shell:.
• I have not included a pie crust recipe as never got that from Grandma and to this day have not been able to make one to her standards so I use pre-made crusts that I pre-bake according to instructions on the box. I'm STILL trying unsuccessfully; to find the skill or recipe to even come close to her perfect pie crust.
• Heat the lemon filling again, until it is bubbling hot.
• Pour the hot filling into the pre-baked pie shell.
• With a spatula to spread the meringue mixture evenly around the pie making sure to seal to the edges of the pie shell.
• With the back of a spoon create peaks all over the meringue.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 325°F, until the meringue is golden brown.
• Cool completely to room temperature. If the pie is even remotely warm when you cut into it, the lemon base may be runny.