Lemon Chess Pie

This bright and tangy lemon chess pie has a lemon custard filling, baked in a flaky crust.

Today, I am sharing one of my favorite pies. It’s fresh, bright and delicious. The lemon filling is tangy and creamy, with a touch of cornmeal that adds a slightly textured layer on top.

I use my flaky pie crust, but I won’t write that part here, or the post will get too long. You can find the recipe for how to make it here. The base gets par-baked before the filling is added to ensure it’s beautifully crisp and flaky.

Lemon Chess Pie

To find the printable version and step-by-step pictures, visit the blog post here.

Ingredients

• 1 x 9-inch unbaked pie crust

• 300g (1 ½ cups) granulated sugar

• 1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

• 10g (1 Tablespoon) cornmeal

• 9g ( 1 Tablespoon) all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 60g (¼ cup) butter, melted

• 60g (¼ cup) heavy cream

• 4 large eggs

• 60g (¼ cup) lemon juice

Instructions

PASTRY PAR-BAKING

1. Roll out pie pastry on a lightly floured surface into an 11-inch/28cm circle.

2. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, then gently roll it up the rolling pin like a spiral. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate and carefully unroll it from the rolling pin until it's draped over it and overhangs the sides—dust off any excess flour.

3. If your circle is uneven, cut off any excess dough around the pie dish to make it even, but leave a bit of an overhang. Roll the overhanging dough under the edge to make a thick border.

4. Push an index finger from one hand into the dough edge between the thumb and index finger of the opposite hand. Continue this all around the dough edges. To prevent the pastry from slipping down and sinking during baking, press it down well along the edge of the pie plate.

5. Chill the pastry for at least 20 minutes while you preheat the oven.

6. Prick the bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork.

7. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights.

8. Bake it at 400°F/200°C for around 15 minutes until the edges of the pie crust are lightly browned.

9. Remove it from the oven and lift off the parchment paper and weights. Place the pastry back in the oven for 2-3 minutes until it no longer looks wet. Remove it and let the hot crust cool to room temperature.

LEMON FILLING

1. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C)

2. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the lemon oils. Add cornmeal, salt, and flour, then mix well to ensure no lumps.

3. Add the melted butter and heavy cream and stir until well combined.

4. Mix eggs in a separate bowl with a fork. Add the eggs to the rest of the filling and whisk until everything is combined. Lastly, pour in the lemon juice and whisk to combine.

5. Pour the filling into the bottom of the crust.

6. Bake the pie in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes until the center is set and the top is golden brown. There should be a slight wobble left in the center of the pie.

7. During baking, you can tent the pie edges with aluminum foil or use a pie shield to prevent them from quickly browning.

8. Once baked, turn off the oven and open the door a crack. Let the pie cool for 20 in the oven minutes before removing it.

9. Let the finished pie cool down to room temperature before serving.

Happy baking!