Citrus Custard Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Pulse the saltines, coconut, sugar and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and continue to pulse until the crumbs begin to clump together. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate (the crust will be thick). Bake until the crust is browned around the edges and lightly browned on the bottom, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool slightly.
• Make the filling: Remove the peel from 1 lemon using a vegetable peeler, removing just the peel and not the pith. Transfer the peel to a food processor. Remove the peel from the other lemon and discard the peel. Cut off the white pith from both lemons; chop the flesh, removing any seeds, and add the flesh to the food processor along with the condensed milk. Puree, scraping down the sides. Add the egg yolks and process until combined. Strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing it through with a rubber spatula. Pour over the crust and gently wiggle to distribute the filling. Bake until the filling is set but still slightly wiggly, about 20 minutes. Transfer to the rack and let cool 1 hour, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours.
• Just before serving, make the topping: Beat the heavy cream and sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until medium peaks form. Serve with the pie.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate while preparing filling., In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter until well blended. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add milk, flour and salt; mix well. Stir in lemon juice and zest; set aside. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; gently fold into lemon mixture., Pour into crust. Bake until lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, garnish with whipped cream, lemon and mint. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a disk of dough into a circle about ¼-inch thick. Starting at one end, gently roll up the dough onto the rolling pin. Unfurl the dough over a 9-inch pie plate, preferably ceramic, and press it in lightly, making sure it's lining the plate.
• Trim so that there's about ½ inch of excess dough hanging over the edge of the pie plate. (If the dough feels warm, refrigerate it for 15 minutes.) Tuck the excess dough under itself so it is flush with the edge of the pie plate; leave the pie like this for a straight-edge finish, or crimp as desired. Dock the base and sides all over with a fork and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
• Place a rack on the bottom shelf of the oven, and place a baking stone, if you have one, on the rack. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Use a small brush to evenly paint egg wash on the edge of the crust. Cut a square of parchment paper and use it to line the crust. Fill with pie weights (or dried beans) up to the top edge. Place the plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake crust until the outer edge is just starting to turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and pie weights, and continue to bake until the base appears set, 2 to 4 minutes more. If the dough puffs up anywhere, you can puncture it with a fork. Cool the crust completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Make the filling: Whisk the sugar, flour, ginger and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Add the milk, cream, extracts and zest and whisk well to combine. Transfer the pie plate to the prepared baking sheet. Pour the custard into the crust.
• Transfer the baking sheet back to the oven, placing it directly on the baking stone if using. Bake until the crust is evenly golden brown and the custard appears set around the outer edge, 40 to 45 minutes; the center of the pie may still be jiggly, like pumpkin pie or cheesecake, but it will firm up as it cools. Let cool completely at room temperature on a rack.
• Make the topping: Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar to medium peaks. Scoop on top of the pie and spread in an even layer. Chill the pie in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, peel each piece of fruit using a vegetable peeler. (Peeling in a spiral fashion around the fruit can help you get longer pieces of zest.) Use a sharp paring knife to trim away the rough edges, and then cut thin strips from the trimmed zest.
• Arrange the zest on top of the whipped cream, arranging the colors randomly and overlapping some pieces. The pie is best the day it is made; store leftovers in the refrigerator, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.

Steps:

• Make graham cracker crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter pie plate.
• Stir together all crust ingredients, then press onto bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes, then cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Make lemon custard filling:
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Pulse sugar and zest in a food processor until zest is finely chopped, then transfer to a small heavy saucepan with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then boil, without stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in cream and salt, then cook until hot (do not let boil).
• Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then whisk in lemon juice.
• Strain custard through a fine sieve into another bowl, then pour into crust.
• Bake until filling is set 2 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely (filling will continue to set as it cools).

Steps:

• Combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens to the consistency of pudding, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks in a bowl until smooth. Add lemon juice and whisk until smooth.
• Return pudding to the heat; slowly stir in egg yolk mixture. Increase heat to high and boil, stirring constantly, for at least 2 minutes. Stir in butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour thickened custard into the pie shell.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine egg whites, remaining vanilla extract, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Whip with an electric mixture until a fluffy meringue forms. Spread meringue over the custard.
• Bake pie in the preheated oven until meringue is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice., Bake until bottom is lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until golden brown, 5-8 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in water and orange juice. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer (mixture will be thick). Remove from heat., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently stir in lemon juice, butter, and lemon and orange zests., For meringue, in a large bowl, beat egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until soft glossy peaks form., Transfer hot filling to crust. Spread meringue over filling, sealing to edge of crust; swirl top with the back of a spoon., Bake until meringue is golden brown, 13-16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Chill 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Steps:

• For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Toast until fragrant, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly, then finely chop. In a large bowl (or a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), whisk together butter, egg yolk, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in flour and walnuts to combine, then knead mixture with your hands a few times to form a soft, pliable dough.
• Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a standard 9-inch pie dish. Prick at 1-inch intervals with the tines of a fork; refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.
• Bake crust 15 minutes; if it's puffing in places, flatten it with the bottom of a dry measuring cup. Continue baking until crust is golden brown and set, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack.
• For the Filling: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt to combine. Whisk in juice, 1/3 cup water, and egg yolks until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Boil 30 seconds; remove from heat. Stir in orange zest, lemon zest and juice, and butter until smooth. Immediately pour into baked crust; smooth top. Let cool slightly, then refrigerate until cold and set firmly, at least 4 hours or, loosely covered (once cold), up to 1 day. Cut into wedges and serve cold, with whipped cream.

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°., Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack until edges are golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into crust. Cover edge with foil. Bake at 400° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Top each serving with optional toppings as desired. Refrigerate leftovers.