Lemon Cream Pie

 Lemon Cream Pie

This is my Mom's famous Lemon Cream Pie. There are very few words that can describe other than delicious. It is not a Lemon Meringue. It's different because it's creamier.  What can I say?  It's awesome.  There are no other words to describe it other than creamy and velvety, with a custard like filling and just a hint of tartness that goes beautifully with the whipped cream. I added a special garnish of white chocolate curls... that made this pie the best pie I have ever eaten! This is my favorite pie. Well, maybe after Coconut Custard. Well maybe after Sugar Cream Pie.  Well maybe after.........

Lemon Cream Pie

Pie Shell: I made my Mom's easy pie shell recipe, but you can buy a ready made frozen pie shell if you need to save time. If you do, go with Marie Callender's.

Easy Pie crust:
 

4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 3/4 cup Crisco shortening                                         
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 egg
1/2 cup water

This recipe makes 4 pie dough rounds. One for now and three to freeze for later. Mix flour, sugar, and salt. Cut-in the shortening with a fork or cutting tool. In a separate bowl mix vinegar, egg, and water. Add it to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork until moistened. Use your hands to mold into 4 equal balls. Use one now for your pie and freeze the others for future use.

Flour your surface and roll the crust starting from the middle and moving out, till it’s about 2 inches larger than the size of your pie dish. Try to work quickly and handle it as little as possible so it doesn't get tough. Gently roll your dough around your rolling pin and lay it in the pan. Then unroll the crust, and gently fit it in-place–don’t pull or tug on the crust. Use a knife to trim the uneven edges, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang under on the edge of your pan. Then use your fingers to pinch the edges for a decorative finish.

Bake at 350 until golden brown. Cool completely before adding filling.

Lemon Cream Filling                                             

1 cup sugar
3 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest                                            
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 egg yolks slightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup frozen butter
1 cup sour cream

Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks and milk in sauce pan, and cook over med heat until thick. Stir in the frozen butter and cool to room temp. Stir in the 1 cup of sour cream and Pour into baked pie shell. 

Whipped Cream and White Chocolate Topping:

1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Shaved White Chocolate Curls

Right before you are ready to serve your pie, place the whipping cream and powdered sugar in a large bowl (or stand mixer) and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form and you have whipped cream. Dollop the cream on top of the pie. Shave the white chocolate to garnish top...I used a cheese slicer. Serve and enjoy!

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Apple Pie Roll Ups

Apple Pie Roll Ups

1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 package refrigerated pie crust
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 medium tart apples (Granny Smith), peeled and cut into 6 wedges each

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle with all but 1 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar. (reserve for a few minutes) Cut the sheet into 12 inch strips along the long side. Lay a wedge of apple on the short end of each pastry strip and roll them up, with the sugared side of the pastry against the apple. Place them onto the lined baking sheet. Brush with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar evenly over top.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm, with or without custard. Delicious!






























Custard                                                 

8 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup of whole milk
1 1/4 cup of heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Place the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla. Scrape the insides of the vanilla bean into the mixture before you add it. Bring the mixture just to the boil.

Pour a little bit of this mixture into the eggs to temper them, and beat it together well. Pour this back into the pan and whisk together. Return to the heat and using a whisk, lightly stir until it begins to thicken. DO NOT BOIL.

As the egg yolks warm, the cream will get thicker and create a custard. Keep stirring until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve. Leave to cool a bit before using. Serve warm or allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally.

NOTE: Be sure not to let the mixture boil once the eggs are added, or you will end up with a curdled mess. You only need to heat it up enough to cook the eggs. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Marie's blog: http://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/apple-pie-roll-ups.html

♥ Chocolate Meringue Pie

My Mom could make incredible meringue pies. She made lemon meringue pies, chocolate meringue and coconut custard meringue pies to die for. I learned very young how to make a meringue that stood firm and tall on any kind of pie and now I will share those tips with you at the end of this recipe. This one is a keeper my friends!

My Mom's Chocolate Meringue Pie

Pie Shell:

1 1/3 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled, cut in small cubes or slices
1/4 cup Shortening (I use Crisco)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

3 eggs
3 cups milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

Meringue:

1/2 cup water
1 cup super fine sugar
4 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Cut in the butter, lard and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle the ice water and toss with a fork to blend. Gather the dough into a ball. If excess flour remains, add a few drops more ice water. Shape into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill for 1 hour in refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pastry into a 12 inch circle. Fit into a 9 inch pie pan and fold edge under. Then line the pastry shell with a sheet of foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Set pie pan on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Remove weights and foil and bake another 5 minutes until bottom firm and light golden, Cool on a rack. I usually brush my unbaked crust with an egg white and a little water before I put it in the oven to keep it from getting soggy.

Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring 2-1/2 cups of the milk almost to simmering but make sure you watch it so that your milk doesn't boil. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, with a 12-inch or larger whisk, stir remaining 1/2 cup milk into the 3 egg yolks. In a second bowl combine 1 cup sugar, the flour, cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; whisk in egg yolk mixture until smooth. Gradually whisk in hot milk; return the mixture to saucepan.

Over medium-high heat cook and stir mixture until it comes to a full boil. Boil for 30 seconds and remove from heat. Whisk in chocolate and butter until melted and smooth. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Strain mixture through a sieve, pushing it through with a spatula as needed. Pour in baked cooled pie shell and cover just the filling with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before adding meringue.

Meringue: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to vigorous boil over medium-high heat. Once syrup comes to rolling boil, cook 4 minutes (mixture will become slightly thickened and syrupy). Remove from heat and set aside.

With electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl at medium-low speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add salt and cream of tartar and beat, gradually increasing speed to medium-high, until whites hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Add vanilla and beat until meringue has cooled and becomes very thick and shiny, 5 to 9 minutes.

Using rubber spatula, mound meringue over filling, making sure meringue touches edges of crust. That's an important step so that meringue does not begin to shrink and pull away from crust, leaving a gap. 

Use spatula to create peaks all over meringue. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until peaks turn golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature. YUM!

♥♥ Tips for making the perfect tall meringue

Always make sure your bowl and beaters are free of any grease or oil. The tiniest speck of oil causes great volume loss.

Always use eggs that are a few days old and make sure they are at room temperature before you use them. If you have to start with cold eggs, put them in a bowl of warm water to bring their temperature.

Don’t use your hands to separate the egg yolk from the whites. I know its the most convenient way for most of us, but oil can wreck a good meringue too! Just use the shells, transferring the yolk back and forth between the two and letting the whites fall into one bowl and the yolks into another.

Use glass or metal bowls and keep your hands out of the bowls and away from any surface that would touch the egg whites. You want no oil whatsoever. Plastic bowls often retain oils from foods and the slightest oil from your hands will not help your meringue.

Add the sugar after the whites have reached the soft peak stage when they're fluffy and when you lift the beater the peaks fold over the beater edge). Superfine sugar works the best when making meringues. (Don’t worry if you don't have this in the pantry because you can make your own using your food processor or blender by pulsing your sugar a few times to break the crystals up into smaller ones).

Your meringue is done when you lift the beater out and the whites stand at attention! Don't stop and take a break during the beating process, start it and work it through and you'll have the perfect mile high meringue for your pies!

By the way, don't put a meringue pie in the refrigerator. Store at room temp under a glass or metal bowl. If you store in the fridge, you'll have leaky, weepy meringue. Enjoy!

Photographs are the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home 

Coconut Custard Slice

In the mood for something cold and creamy? How about some sweet vanilla custard...some smooth and creamy and cold coconut custard. I love this old fashioned recipe that my Mom used to make...especially when I don't feel like making a pie shell. Now that we have ready made pastry dough it is so easy!

Coconut Custard Slice

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1½ cups whole milk
1½ cups light cream
4 tablespoons cold butter, chopped
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
½ cup cold water
6 egg yolks
2 cups of Bakers shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pastry sheet in a 9 x 9 baking pan lined with parchment paper, leaving an overhang of paper on each side that you will use for handles later when lifting from pan. Top the pastry sheet with another sheet of parchment paper and place another baking sheet of the same size over as a weight. Or you can use pie weights if you'd like. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack.

Spread 1 1/2 cups of the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in oven at a low 250 degrees until very lightly toasted. Remove and allow to cool.

To make the filling, whisk the milk, cream, butter, vanilla and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until hot but not boiling. Mix the cornstarch and cold water to a smooth paste and whisk into the hot milk mixture. Temper the eggs by scooping out a little of the hot mixture into a bowl and then slowly mixing each egg in one at at time. Then pour back into the saucepan and whisk very quickly to incorporate. Simmer and stir custard for about 6 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.

Add in the 1/2 cup of un-toasted coconut and stir well. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour the custard over pastry crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining lightly toasted coconut. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours before serving.

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Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

 

I stopped making the traditional thanksgiving pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving a few years ago. They just got too boring and you can only do so much to a pie to change it up.  I wanted something that when I told my guests to save room for dessert, they really would save room.  They know now that I am going to bring out my warm pumpkin bread pudding covered in delicious hot caramel sauce and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

1 loaf day old Challah Bread (or French or Italian), torn into pieces

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half

1 15-ounce pumpkin puree

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons butter, melted

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Place bread pieces in baking dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, half and half, pumpkin, sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice.  If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can make your own. You can find the recipe below.

Slowly pour the custard batter over the bread pieces in the baking dish. Push bread down into the sauce to make sure it is completely covered.  Allow to sit and soak up the sauce for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 for about 1 hour.  While the bread pudding is baking, make the sauce unless you are going to use a jar of store bought.

Caramel Sauce (or use Caramel Ice Cream Topping or sauce)

1 cup butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup brown sugar, packed

In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar; bring to a boil. 

Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer until the sauce thickens, for about 5 minutes; pour over bread pudding before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a real treat!

NOTE:   You can make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice with the following:

2 teaspoons cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon allspice

Combine and store in airtight container.

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