Lemon Cream Pie

I decided to go with Lemon Cream Pie rather than Lemon Curd Pie. Curd just does not sound pleasing. I had some Meyer lemons hanging around and seriously needed to use them. I also had some coconut wafers that I bought from Trade Joe's with the intent of using them for a pie crust and never used them. It just seemed like fate that I needed to make this pie.

Pie Crust

1 1/2 c coconut cookie crumbs (feel free to use graham crackers but then add 1/4 c sugar)
4 T butter, melted

Combine crumbs and butter until moistened* Press into 9" pie plate. Bake 10-12 minutes in 350 oven.

Lemon Curd (Borrowed from Joe Pastry)

4 egg yolks
5 oz sugar
3.25 oz (by weight) lemon juice
2 oz softened butter
pinch salt
zest from lemons, reserving 1T for topping

Whisk yolks and sugar together until combined in a heavy saucepan. Add the lemon juice, butter, and salt. Heat, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 196 degrees or coats the back of a spoon.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Stir in zest. Pour lemon curd into cooled crust and chill.

Lemon Cream

2 c heavy cream
6 T confectioner's sugar
1t vanilla
1T lemon zest
slice of lemon for garnish (optional)

Whisk ingredients together (except lemon slice) and let sit in refrigerator for several hours (ideally overnight). Chill bowl and whisk in freezer. Whisk cream until soft peaks form. Spoon over lemon curd and garnish with lemon slice.

I made the crust and lemon curd and let it chill overnight. Then whipped the cream while the coffee was brewing. The lemon curd might seem intimidating to make, but it is not. Joe's recipe is pretty much foolproof.



*I just poured the crumbs right from the food processor into the pie dish and then added the butter. Why dirty another bowl?