Meyer Lemon Deluxe Pie

This recipe was developed by Toby Ortolano as one of the ways to use our Meyer Lemon Curd.

 Ingredients for Meyer Lemon Deluxe Pie

Creaming butter and confectioners sugar

...almost done

Shortbread dough

Pressing dough onto pie plate

Pie crust ready for the fillings

1st layer: chopped pecans

Whipping the cream

2nd layer: whipped cream

3rd layer: lemon curd

Ta-da

Meyer Lemon Deluxe Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

1 ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar, divided

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup pecans, chopped

9 oz. jar Hummingbird Hill kitchen Meyer Lemon Curd

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1.       Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.       Assemble shortbread pie crust.  Using a large bowl, cream butter and ½ cup confectioner’s sugar until light and fluffy.

3.       In another bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. 

4.       Fold flour mixture into sugar/butter mixture. 

5.       If not using immediately, roll mixture into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

6.       Make sweetened whipped cream.  In a large bowl, beat heavy cream and ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar until soft peaks form.

7.       Line pie tin/plate with shortbread pie crust.  Weigh down and bake for 10 minutes.

8.       Remove crust from oven.  Press chopped pecans into crust.  Let sit for 20 minutes or until cool.

9.       Fill 1/3 of pie with sweet whipped cream, about half of mixture. Spread thick and even.

10.   Gently spread lemon curd on top of whipped cream.  Make sure you empty entire contents of jar!

11.   Add final layer of sweetened whipped cream. 

12.   Garnish with lemon zest.  Chill and serve.

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The first time Toby tasted my Meyer Lemon Curd he loved it!  As a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College of Culinary Arts and as my Hummingbird Hill Kitchen associate, he helps me develop recipes for our products.  Meyer lemons differ from regular lemons in that they are not as sour.  Meyer lemons are a cross between a true lemon and either a common or mandarin orange.

This pie is similar to Lemon Merengue Pie, but richer and more dense.  The shortbread crust by itself is a treat.  As you can see from the picture above, I used the plastic wrap to spread the dough onto the pie plate.  Because the dough has so much butter, it would melt in my hands.  The dough is weighted down during the pre-baking process so that it won’t rise.

A final garnish of lemon zest really enhances the citrus flavor as well adds to the visual appeal.  Served chilled, it makes for a refreshing snack or dessert.

What recipes would you suggest for our Meyer Lemon Curd?