Lemon meringue pies are so cool and refreshing. This recipe uses a pistachio crunch for the crust which adds a layer of texture and a nutty flavor. When I saw this recipe my mind went back to the frozen lemon meringue pies my mother brought from the grocery with the graham cracker crust, tart lemon filling, and topped with a light meringue; so cool and refreshing on a hot summer's day.
luscious lemon curd
pistachio's nutty crunch
cool tart refreshing
The recipe is from Christina Tosi's 'Milkbar Cookbook'. If you don't have this cookbook, you need to buy or borrow it, just to browse through and learn some of her techniques and glimpse how her mind thinks about desserts. She is a genius. Another must read cookbook is Dominique Ansel's 'Secret Recipes'. In it he delves into the thought process behind some of his creations. This pie has three layers: pistachio crust, lemon curd, and lemon curd meringue.
The crust begins with toasting raw pistachios in the oven for twenty minutes. Next comes my favorite part. Place the pistachios in a towel and gently beat them with a rolling pen to break them up into chunks (a safe way to release daily frustrations 😂). Combine with pistachio paste, feuilletine, confectioner sugar, and kosher salt in a stand mixer until homogenous. Dump the mixture into a 10" pie shell.
Using your fingers and palm of your hand, gently press into an even layer covering the bottom and sides.
Melt white chocolate over low heat. Brush the surface of the crust with a thin layer of the chocolate to seal. Place the pie shell in the freezer for ten minutes to set.
The lemon curd is so smooth, creamy and luscious, melt in your mouth goodness. My only complaint is that you need to make one and a half times the recipe to have enough for the layer of curd and to flavor the meringue. It is a basic curd recipe with the addition of lemon zest along with the lemon juice, which enhances the flavor. Also, I use Plugra butter with its higher fat content, which gives a creamier, richer curd.
Scoop out one and a half cups of lemon curd onto the pie shell.
Use the back of a spoon to spread it out into an even layer. Place back into the freezer for ten minutes to set.
Make an Italian meringue and then whip for fifteen minutes on medium high to cool. Gently fold two-thirds cup of lemon curd into the meringue. Remove the pie from the freezer and scoop the lemon meringue on top of the lemon curd.
Spread the meringue over the lemon curd.
Layers of goodness, a little slice of heaven to stave off the heat and humidity.
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The pie is best served cold. So refreshing on a hot summer's day!