TATA'S LEMON "NON-MERINGUE" PIE WITH STIFFY WHIPPED TOPPING

Tata's Lemon "Non-Meringue" Pie 

So here's the deal: I don't like meringue and my bro requested a Lemon Meringue Pie for his birthday so I made my version--Tata's Lemon "Non-Meringue" Pie With Stiffy Whipped Topping with homemade whip cream.  It's way better--I promise!!

You can make the pie and the crust and the pie a day ahead of time if you want to break up this pie.  Otherwise get started early in morning to ensure getting all the steps done and allotting enough time for this pie to chill long enough (It needs to chill at LEAST 3 hours. I prefer overnight.)  

**For Gluten-Free:  The pie filling and topping are gluten-free naturally so to make this dessert completely gluten-free you will need a gluten-free pie crust.

Start with the crust first:

The Best Darn Pie Crust Ever!
This is my own special recipe.  Perfected to perfection!

Makes one  10 inch pie  or a top and bottom for a smaller pie.

2 ½ cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 TBS sugar

¾ cup (a stick and half) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into ¼ inch cubes (I freeze my butter then cut it—frozen works the best)

½ cup of all-vegetable shortening (8 TBS)

6-8 TBS ICE water

Directions:

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix.  Add the butter and pulse 4 times.  

Add shortening in TBS chunk amounts; pulse 4 times.  The mixture should look like cornmeal with chunks of butter no larger than peas.  Sprinkle 6 TBS of ice water over the flour mixture.  Pulse a couple times.  If you pinch the dough and it holds together it is ready.  If it doesn’t hold together add a little more ice water at a time. 

Remove dough from food processor and place in a mound on a clean surface. Flatten into a 6 inch disk.  Do NOT over-knead the dough!  Dust the disk lightly with flour, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least for an hour or up to two days before rolling out.

Roll out the chilled dough into a circle that is at least one inch bigger (on all sides) than your pie pan turned upside down.  A TIP: use a metal spatula to gently get the crust off the counter.  I get half of it up with the spatula-then fold it over like an omelet.  Then fold it over again to make it one quarter (see picture below).  This is the easiest way to transfer your crust to the pie pan intact. 

Put your dough into an ungreased pie pan and fit it to your pie pan crimping the edges.  Then poke holes, with a fork, all over the bottom of it.  Freeze the crust for 30 minutes.

Then bake frozen pie crust at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown.  

Next make your Lemon Filling:

Ingredients:

• 9 large eggs
• 1 1/2 sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup fresh  lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• Finely grated zest of 3  lemons

Directions:

Keep the oven temperature at  400°F.

In a bowl, beat 3 of the eggs until blended. Separate the remaining 6 eggs, adding the yolks to the beaten whole eggs and toss the whites (or use them for breakfast!).  Beat the yolks into the beaten eggs. 

In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and the cornstarch.

Then whisk in the beaten eggs, the lemon juice and salt.

Transfer to a saucepan, place over medium heat and heat until the mixture comes to a full boil, whisking almost constantly. 

Reduce the heat to low and let bubble for 30 seconds. Be careful not to undercook or overcook the filling or it will separate as it cools. You will know this is ready when it looks like a bubbling thick pudding.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Stir in the lemon zest, then pour into the baked crust (the crust can be warm or cool).

Use a pie ring or put foil around the edges of the pie so it doesn't burn.  Bake for 5 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before serving, at least 3 hours in the fridge--I like to chill it overnight. Serves 8. 

After your pie is completely chilled make the Stiffy Whipped Topping.  I make a special Whipped Topping that will hold it's form and is easy to decorate with a frosting piping bag. If you are going to eat this pie right away you don't need to make this special "Hold its form" Stiffy Whipped topping just make regular whipped cream.  

Directions for Tata's "Stiffy Whipped Topping" i.e. Whipped Topping that will Hold its Form! 

Ingredients: 

·         ½ cup powdered sugar

·         4 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

·         2 ¾ cups Heavy whipping cream

·         1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract

1.       Place metal bowl and wire whisk beater or beaters in freezer to chill.

2.       In a small saucepan combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch whisk until mixed. Slowly whisk in 1 cup heavy cream whisk until smooth. Place on medium heat and stir constantly to prevent scorching at the bottom stir constantly until mixture thickens and almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside stirring occasionally until it reaches room temperature. Make sure it is completely cooled before adding to the heavy cream.Very Important!!!

3.       In the chilled bowl combine the remaining heavy cream and the vanilla beat with the chilled whisk of your stand mixer or your hand held mixer until the cream begins to hold shape, it will still be rather loose. While still beating add the powdered sugar mixture a little at a time. Beat just until the mixture forms stiff peaks when the beater is raised and is spreadable, be careful not to over beat. Use immediately.

One of the great things about Stiffy Whipped Topping is it is easy to decorate with.  Use a frosting piping bag and what ever tip you want.  Here are two ideas for decorating. 

The Classic 

The Works

Enjoy!

Love, TATA