Lemon Zest Pie Crust Recipes

CLASSIC LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add 3 tablespoons cold water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. , Roll out dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer crust to pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned., Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Gently stir in butter and lemon zest. Gradually stir in lemon juice just until combined. Pour into the crust., For meringue, in a saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in cold water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is clear. Transfer to a bowl; cool., Beat egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat in cornstarch mixture on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing edge to crust., Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

BLUEBERRY-LEMON PIE WITH A BUTTER CRUST

Steps:

• For the flaky butter pie crust: Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut it in with a pastry blender until the largest pieces are the size of small peas and the mixture begins to clump on the pastry blender. Shuffle through the mixture with your hands, pinching chunks of fat to flatten them.
• Stir the vinegar and 5 tablespoons ice water together in a bowl. Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir with a fork. Pinch a clump of dough in your hands: If it feels moist and clumps together easily, it's probably hydrated enough. If it feels really crumbly, add another tablespoon or two of ice water until you can form a baseball-size clump of dough, packing it on as if you were making a snowball.
• Divide the dough in half and form each half into a flat disk. Wrap both disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Thirty minutes before you're ready to roll out the dough, remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature to soften. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the blueberry filling: In a bowl, toss the blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch and lemon zest and juice and mix until combined.
• Dust a worktop and rolling pin with flour. Roll out one dough disk a little less than 1¿4 inch thick, about 14 inches in diameter. Fold the dough in half and transfer it to a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Unfold. Press the dough into the corners, leaving the overhang for now. Refrigerate the first crust while you roll out the second disk of dough.
• Remove the bottom crust from the refrigerator and fill it with the berry mixture. Tuck the pats of cold butter beneath the top layer of berries. Top with the second piece of dough, and trim both to a 1/2-inch overhang around the pie. Tuck the overhang into a roll and crimp the edge, pressing down to hook some of the dough over the edge of the dish, holding the pie. Cut a hole in the center of the pie, as well as some decorative vents.
• Brush the top of the pie with cream and dust it with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes. Cover the edges of the pie with foil and continue to bake until the center juices bubble and thicken, 25 to 35 minutes more.
• Let the pie cool until it is just warm to the touch before slicing and serving. Top with ice cream.

LEMON ZEST PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl. Cut in butter until it is in pea-sized pieces.
• Make a "well" in the flour mixture. Pour in water and lemon zest. Carefully fold into the flour mixture until lightly combined.
• Make another "well" and pour in lemon juice; lightly fold into the batter. Repeat with vanilla extract. Add more water if needed to bring the dough together.
• Form dough into 2 separate, equal-sized discs and cover in plastic wrap. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Filling:
• Whisk sugar and cornstarch in a large saucepan to combine. Add eggs and egg yolks and whisk vigorously, making sure to get into corners of pan, until smooth and pale. Whisk in lemon zest and juice, salt, and 1½ cups water.
• Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often and making sure to get into corners of pan, 8-10 minutes (mixture should be bubbling and thickened). Reduce heat and continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 3 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, whisking every minute.
• Add butter to filling and whisk until melted and fully incorporated. Scrape filling into pie crust; smooth surface. Chill until cold and set, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• Assembly:
• Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large heatproof bowl; set over a large saucepan filled with 1" simmering water (bowl shouldn't touch the water). Heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch, about 4 minutes.
• Fit bowl onto mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or use an electric mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until meringue is more than tripled in volume and medium peaks form, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a resealable plastic bag will work-just snip off a corner after bag is filled). Pipe meringue over filling and toast with a kitchen torch or under the broiler.
• Do Ahead: Pie (without meringue) can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

LEMON PIE WITH PECAN CRUMB CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack on lowest level. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast in the oven until golden, tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• In a food processor, finely grind graham crackers, sugar, and pecans. Add the butter, and process until completely combined.
• Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until crust is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the condensed milk. Stir in the lemon juice. Spoon filling into cooled pie crust. Bake until filling is set and crust is golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.

CREAMY LEMON PIE I

Steps:

• Squeeze juice from lemons into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in condensed milk and whipped topping. Pour into pie crust. Chill until set.

BLUEBERRY PIE WITH LEMON CRUST

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and lemon zest. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Add lemon juice. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 portion to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Transfer crust to pie plate; trim to 1 in. beyond edge of plate., In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt; spoon into crust. Drizzle with lemon juice; dot with butter. Roll out remaining dough; place over filling. Seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top crust. , Bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Store in refrigerator.

LEMON CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Make graham cracker crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter pie plate.
• Stir together all crust ingredients, then press onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes, then cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Make lemon custard filling:
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Pulse sugar and zest in a food processor until zest is finely chopped, then transfer to a small heavy saucepan with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then boil, without stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in cream and salt, then cook until hot (do not let boil).
• Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then whisk in lemon juice.
• Strain custard through a fine sieve into another bowl, then pour into crust.
• Bake until filling is set 2 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely (filling will continue to set as it cools).