Pie Eyed

I am not sure why, but lately I have become a bit obsessed with desserts. Baking cakes (you might recall my ugly bumpy cake) and now a pie. Thumbing through one of my new favorite magazines Real Simple I came across a Lemon Cream pie recipe that sounded delicious and looked easy to make.

The biggest requirement for me to get excited about a recipe is EASY. I am not lazy, but I do enjoy getting in and out of the kitchen with as much ease as possible. The other requirement is that the recipe ends up delicious. There is nothing worse than going to all the trouble of making a recipe and then throwing it away. Case in point my roasted garbanzo bean hummus experiment that was labor intensive, disastrous and utterly nasty tasting. I am sure you are wondering why anyone would try to roast garbanzo beans for any reason, but I was feeling adventurous and thought I would try something new. Huge mistake, popped garbanzo beans all over my oven…flaming and burning. Yuck! I should also add not a very tasty hummus, dry and flavorless.
Anyway, the pie…YUM! Fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest in the cream filling, Gingersnap Crust and homemade whipped cream on top. Oh yeah baby, good stuff!! Honestly, I was so excited about the pie that I short changed my family on side dishes at dinner so that they would all still have room for pie. This pie was worth every calorie…I even used low fat sweeten condensed milk just to slim it down a little and it was still fabulous.
So here is the deal I am going to share the recipe and you have to try it…I mean it! You will never regret it even if it means an extra workout…have I ever lied to you?

 

Lemon Cream Pie

Hands on time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 Hours (includes chilling)

Serves 10

(I ended up with 8 slices, so if you have 10 people you might have a fight on your hands)

 

9 oz. Ginger snaps (about 35)

6 Tbls unsalted butter, melted

2 Tbls granulated sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (I used low-fat)

1 Tbls finely grated lemon zest, plus more for serving, plus ½ cup lemon juice (I squeezed the zested lemon, you should too it was yummy and fresh tasting)

1cup heavy cream

2 Tbls confectioner's sugar

 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, process the gingersnaps until fine crumbs form. Add the butter, granulated sugar, and ½ tsp of the kosher salt and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate, using a flat bottomed measuring cup to help. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until edges appear dry and set, 16 to 18 minutes. (Note the bottom will appear moist and soft but will become firmer as it cools; this is a crunchy cookie crust not a soft graham cracker-style one) Let cool.


In medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, condensed milk, lemon zest and juice, and the remaining ½ tsp kosher salt. Pour the mixture into the crust and bake until set in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool and then refrigerate until firm at least two hours.


Using an electric mixer, whip one cup heavy cream and confectioner's sugar on medium until soft peaks form, 2 or 3 minutes. Spread on pie sprinkle with the additional zest and serve immediately. (You might think about skipping this and buying whipped cream but DON'T, it is delicious and really makes this super homemadie!!)

Make Ahead tip:

The pie can be baked up to two days in advance; refrigerate, covered.

Top with the whipped cream and lemon zest just before serving.

 

That's it, get busy…