Lemon Butter Pie
User Reviews
4.9
Lemon Butter Pie
Description
Lemon Butter Pie begins with a crust pressed from graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, baked until set but retaining a ragged, homemade appearance rather than a perfectly smooth edge. The filling is a lemon curd made by whisking fresh lemon juice, whole eggs, an additional egg yolk, and granulated sugar, then cooking gently over medium heat until the mixture thickens and reaches 180°F. The inclusion of room temperature butter cut into small pieces is stirred in after curd thickening to add richness and smoothness.
The filling is strained through a sieve to remove any cooked egg bits, ensuring a silky texture. Once cooled, it sets in the crust to create a luscious, tart dessert. The naturally tangy lemon flavor contrasts with the buttery crust and filling, offering a pleasing balance of sweet and sour notes.
This pie is suited for dessert after meals that benefit from a fresh, citrus finish. Its creamy interior and crumbly crust provide textural contrast, making it a distinctive lemon pie variation without a traditional pastry shell.
Using flexible silicone tools like a whisk and spoonula helps scrape all sides of the pan when cooking the curd, preventing lumps and uneven cooking. Moderate heat is recommended to achieve smooth thickening without curdling.
Ingredients
crust
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 4 Tbsp butter melted
lemon butter filling
- 1/2 cup lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 3 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut in 1 tablespoon sized pieces; firm but not cold; room temperature is good
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a shallow 9 inch pie dish.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter. I find this works best if I use my fingers. Once it's all combined and evenly moistened, gently press it into your pie dish. Don't worry about messy edges, one of the charms of this lemon pie is the ragged crumb crust.
- Bake the pie crust for 8 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- To make the lemon butter filling put the lemon juice, eggs and yolk, and sugar into a medium sized heavy saucepan. Whisk everything together well.
- Heat, whisking or stirring constantly, over medium to medium high heat until the mixture thickens and reaches 180F. I like to use a silicone whisk and spoonula for this job because it makes it easy to scrape the pan completely as the curd cooks. Note: if you haven't made curd or egg thickened sauces or puddings before you may want to stick to medium heat.
- Push the lemon curd through a strainer to remove any stray lumps of egg. Stir to cool the curd to 140F (this won't take long.)
- Transfer to a food processor and turn the machine on. Add the pieces of butter, one at a time, letting each incorporate before adding the next.
- Turn the creamy lemon into your pie crust and spread out evenly. Refrigerate the pie for at least several hours before serving. If you would like a firmer consistency you can pop the pie in the freezer.
- Serve the pie cold, or even frozen. If serving straight from the freezer you may want to let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes or so to soften a bit.
Notes
- Silicone tools are ideal for stirring lemon curd to reach all areas of the pan and avoid lumps.
- Use medium heat to prevent eggs from curdling while cooking the filling.
- The crust’s ragged edges are intentional and part of the pie’s character.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 344 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 344kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 26g | 40% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 135mg | 45% |
| Sodium | 287mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 65mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 0.5g | 2% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 813IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 28mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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