This Lemon Chess Pie won 2nd Place at the County Fair

Lemon Chess Pie


This is one of my favorite pies.  I entered this pie in the county fair.  There wasn't enough filling but I won second place!

This recipe is from Family Fun magazine.

Make a Foolproof Pie Crust.  Recipe is at the bottom.
Ingredients for the filling:
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal
1/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Prepare, chill, and pre-bake a Foolproof Pie Crust.
To make the filling set the oven temp to 350 degrees.  Whisk together the sugar, cornmeal, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Add the eggs and egg yolk and whisk well.  Whisk in the milk, melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract.  Then slowly pour the filling into the cooled pie shell.

Bake the pie on the center oven rack for about 45 to 50 minutes, turning it 180 degrees halfway through. When done, the top will be dark golden brown, and the filling will be set except for the very center, which may jiggle slightly when you tap the pan.  Cool the pie on a wire rack.  Serve it at room temperature or cover and chill until serving time.

Foolproof Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening
4 Tbsp. cold water

Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Cut the butter and shortening into 1/4 inch pieces and toss them into the dry ingredients by hand to evenly distribute them.  Now use a pastry blender to cut them into the flour until they are the size of small peas.
Sprinkle in half of the water and toss well with a fork.  Add the remaining water a teaspoon at a time until the pastry will pack into a ball.
Knead the dough once or twice.  Then place it on a large sheet of plastic wrap and flatten it into a 3/4 inch thick disk.  Wrap the disk in the plastic and shill it for about 1 hour.  You can chill it longer, but it may get too firm then.  If it does get too firm let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before rolling out.
Working atop a lightly floured surface, roll the pie pastry into a 12 inch circle with a flour-dusted rolling pin.  Invert the rolled pastry over a 9 inch pie pan and peel off the paper.  Gently fit the pastry into the pan without stretching it and pinch the edge into a fluted rim.  Chill the sell in the freezer for 15 minutes before using.

Pre-bake the shell to keep the bottom flaky.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line the chilled pastry shell with tinfoil so the center fits snugly against the dough and the excess foil flares out of the pan like wings.  Spread dried beans (about a pound) in the lined shell.  Then bake the shell on the center rack for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and beans and prick the pastry with a fork in about 8 spots to keep it from puffing up.  Lower the oven temp. to 375 degrees and bake the shell 10 to 12 minutes more. Now brush the bottom of the shell sparingly wit lightly beaten egg white to seal the holes and bake it for 2 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool.