What a fabulous church picnic and baptism on Sunday! Thank you, thank you to all the planners who worked so hard to make it great fun! What a fantastic turn out of SSEFC families too! And, of course, the pie contest was a hit! By popular demand….here is the recipe for the Lemon Pie that Bernie Finne made for the contest (recipe originated by Dorothy Lacefield). HINT: To print off the recipe below, highlight with your mouse and copy and paste into Word. Then you can change the font and size, etc. to your liking. Happy baking and eating!
Crust:3/4 cup toasted almonds , ground
6 Tbsp. butter , melted
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
Lemon Curd:1 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks , lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 cup butter , cubed
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 bars (4 ounces each) white chocolate , chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese , softened
Lemon Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. butter , cut up
1 large egg yolk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. lemon peel
To make crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. In a medium mixing bowl, combine almonds, crumbs, butter and lemon peel. Press evenly on bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake at 350° degrees for 9 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.
To make lemon curd: Bring sugar, lemon peel and juice to a boil in a heavy 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and gradually whisk about 1/4 hot juice mixture into egg yolks; add egg yolk mixture to remaining hot juice mixture, whisking constantly until well blended. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, at least 10 or 12 minutes (mixture will be pudding-like in thickness). Add butter, in 6 batches, whisking constantly until butter melts and mixture is well blended after each addition. Remove from heat and pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on warm curd (to prevent a film from forming); chill 3 hours. Make about 1 1/3 cups. Microwave white chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl at high for 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Beat softened cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and beat until blended, stopping to scrape down sides. Add lemon curd and beat until blended. Beat heavy cream at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into lemon mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared crust, mounding mixture in center of crust. Chill 3 hours.
To make lemon topping: Combine sugar, butter and lemon juice in top of double boiler. Set over pan of simmering water and stir until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Beat egg, yolk and lemon peel in bowl until well blended. Gradually whisk warm butter mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to double boiler and cook over simmering water until topping is thick, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes; do not boil. Transfer topping to bowl, whisking to smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of topping and chill until cold. Remove pie from refrigerator. Spread with Lemon Topping. Chill for at least 1 hour. Garnish with sweetened whipped cream, lemon wedges and fresh raspberries.
The next Book Club selection is Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin.
