Crescent Rolls
Virginia Honeybaked Ham with Pineapple Glaze
Asparagus Bundles with Fresh Mozzarella Rounds & Prosciutto Dressing
Potatoes & Leeks Au Gratin
Individual Corn Souffles
Flourless Chocolate Torte
Lemon Pie with Brown Sugar Meringue
CRESCENT ROLLS
This is one of my all-time favorite roll recipes! The recipe comes from the Lion House, an historic restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah.
2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (use powdered, not flaked)
1 egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
butter, melted
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, mix yeast and water and let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat together until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until soft dough is formed. (I start mixing with a paddle attachment and then switch to the dough hook for the last couple of cups of flour. I run the mixer on medium-high for 2 or 3 minutes at the very end until the flour is completely incorporated, the dough is super-smooth, and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.)
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise until dough doubles in bulk (usually about an hour). Punch down; divide dough into thirds.
Prep 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll out one third of dough into a circle; cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Starting at the wide end, roll up each piece into a crescent. Place on baking sheets with the point on the bottom. Repeat with remainder of dough.
Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise an additional hour, or until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
PINEAPPLE GLAZE FOR HAM
This is a recipe from my mother-in-law. It’s a family tradition we’ve continued at our own table.
1 (20-oz) can crushed (or tidbit) pineapple in juice
1 cup pineapple juice (this comes from the canned pineapple—when draining, you’ll get almost exactly
This is one of my all-time favorite roll recipes! The recipe comes from the Lion House, an historic restaurant in Salt Lake City, Utah.
2 tablespoons yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (use powdered, not flaked)
1 egg
6 cups all-purpose flour
butter, melted
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, mix yeast and water and let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, egg, and 2 cups of the flour. Beat together until smooth. Gradually add remaining flour until soft dough is formed. (I start mixing with a paddle attachment and then switch to the dough hook for the last couple of cups of flour. I run the mixer on medium-high for 2 or 3 minutes at the very end until the flour is completely incorporated, the dough is super-smooth, and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.)
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl; cover and let rise until dough doubles in bulk (usually about an hour). Punch down; divide dough into thirds.
Prep 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Roll out one third of dough into a circle; cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces. Starting at the wide end, roll up each piece into a crescent. Place on baking sheets with the point on the bottom. Repeat with remainder of dough.
Brush tops with melted butter. Let rise an additional hour, or until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
PINEAPPLE GLAZE FOR HAM
This is a recipe from my mother-in-law. It’s a family tradition we’ve continued at our own table.
1 (20-oz) can crushed (or tidbit) pineapple in juice
1 cup pineapple juice (this comes from the canned pineapple—when draining, you’ll get almost exactly
a cup of juice; you can supplement with a little water, if needed)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cinnamon to taste (about ¼ tsp)
Drain pineapple juice into a small saucepan and set pineapple aside. In the saucepan, whisk pineapple juice with sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in reserved pineapple. Serve warm or at room temp.
ASPARAGUS BUNDLES WITH PROSCUITTO DRESSING
These are best when served immediately out of the broiler.
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 cup prosciutto, sliced (2 oz.)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot, chopped (1 shallot)
1 tablespoon honey
2 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
Preheat broiler to high with rack 2-inches from heat. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 4 minutes, or until cooked but still slightly crisp. Cool in ice water; drain; Arrange in 4 bundles on a baking sheet. Sauté prosciutto in oil until crisp and frizzled. Add vinegar, shallot, and honey. Cook over medium heat until dressing thickens, about 5 minutes. Top asparagus with a thick slice of mozzarella; broil to melt cheese. Spoon hot dressing over and serve.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
POTATOES & LEEKS AU GRATIN
Makes one 9-inch square gratin.
You won’t use all of the sauce when making the gratin. Serve the remainder on the side. So yummy!
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, partially cooked, chilled, and thinly sliced*
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) Swiss cheese, shredded
4 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced
3-1/2 cups leeks (about 4 large), washed and thinly sliced (white and light green parts)
1/4 cup dry white wine (or white grape juice)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
12 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup (about 5 oz.) Boursin cheese
Pinch each of nutmeg and cayenne
*Prepare potatoes as follows: Place peeled whole potatoes and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a large pot; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes. Test by piercing with a knife—the potatoes should resist but not feel “crunchy.” Cook 1-2 minutes more, if needed, but not until they break apart. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold, preferably overnight. (Chilling the potatoes makes them easy to slice. If they’re warm, they’re really sticky.) Once chilled, use a 2mm slicing disk on a food processor or a mandolin to slice the potatoes. Do not attempt to slice by hand. The potatoes must be uniform in thickness for even cooking and best presentation.
Prepare potatoes and cheese; set aside until assembly. To make filling, sauté bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings; add leeks.
Sauté leeks until soft, 5 minutes. Add reserved bacon and wine; simmer until wine reduces, 1 minute. Don’t overcook-leeks will soften further in the oven. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
For the sauce, simmer milk, garlic, and bay leaf in sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in cheeses a little at a time, stirring until smooth and thick, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove garlic and bay leaf.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees; grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Coat bottom of pan with 1/3 cup sauce and cover with potato slices, overlapping slightly. Arrange another layer of potatoes on the first.
Top potato slice with 1/3 cup sauce, 1/2 cup leek filling, and 1/4 cup Swiss cheese. Follow with two more layers of potato slices, the more leeks, sauce, and cheese. Continue building two more layers, ending with a double layer of potatoes on top.
Spread 1/2 cup sauce over last potato layer and sprinkle with remaining cheese. (You won’t use all of the sauce; reserve the remainder to serve with the potatoes on the side). Cover pan with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake until it’s tender when pierced with a knife and brown on top, 15-20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
INDIVIDUAL CORN SOUFFLES
These are best when made with fresh corn, but frozen corn can be substituted in a pinch.
2-1/2 cups corn (about 7 large ears), roasted and cut
2 cups water
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal, coarse
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup Half & Half
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons chives, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)
Bring 2 cups water to a boil and slowly add cornmeal (grits make a great substitute). Reduce heat. Stir until smooth and thick—about 2 minutes.
In separate bowl, beat eggs. Add some hot cornmeal to the eggs, then mix, to temper the eggs. Now add egg mixture, Half & Half, butter, and cheeses to cornmeal.
Fold in remaining ingredients, including 1 cup of corn; reserve the remaining 1-1/2 cups corn. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. (Remember that sugar intensifies pepper.)
Butter eight 7-oz. ramekins or other molds. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved corn to bottom of each ramekin. Pour 1/2 cup corn mixture in each ramekin. Bake on sheet pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE
This torte forms a light crust on top—somewhat similar to a brownie—but you flip it over to serve it, so the top doesn’t show. To serve, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, pair with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or glaze with a chocolate ganache.
This is deeply rich and decadent and chocolaty through and through. Buy the best quality chocolate you can. Do not use Baker’s brand chocolate or the other low-end baking chocolates available at your local supermarket. A cost-friendly option is the Belgian chocolate available at Trader Joe’s. It’s around $5/pound.
Do not try to make this torte without the baking stone and the water bath.
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup heavy cream
Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a parchment circle. Lightly spray the top of the parchment.
Separate 2 of the eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, stir the 4 whole eggs and the 2 yolks until the yolks and whites are well blended. Strain the eggs and discard the goopy mess left in the strainer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 10 minutes.
Place the chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave with frequent stirring to melt; 50% power for 2 minutes usually works
Add the cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and butter to the beaten egg mixture and beat for a few seconds to blend.
Pour a little of the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and gently fold together by hand with a large spoon or spatula. Fold in more and more chocolate until all is added.
In a cold bowl with cold beaters, whip the cream until soft peaks form when the beater is lifted. Beat a little beyond this soft peak stage. Stir about one-quarter of the whipped cream into the batter to lighten. Then fold the rest of the whipped cream into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
In a medium saucepan, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. To make a water bath, place the cake pan in a larger pan and place in the oven on the baking stone. Carefully pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it comes about 1-1/2 inches up the side of the cake pan. Close the oven door and bake uncovered in the water bath for about 45 minutes. Make sure that the torte is sufficiently done; a toothpick inserted into the torte should come out clean and the torte should be firm to the touch.
Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour. When completely cooled, wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
To remove from the pan, run a thin knife around the edge of the torte. Heat the bottom of the pan over a burner on the stove for about 10 seconds and then invert onto an 8-inch cake board if decorating with icing, or onto a serving platter if sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
LEMON PIE WITH BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
CRUST
This crust works especially well with this filling, holding up well against sogginess.
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cold, cubed
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cubed
4—6 tablespoons ice water
Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together for the crust in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender until butter is pea-size.
Add ice water, stirring with a fork until dough comes together but is neither dry nor sticky. Wrap dough in plastic, flatten into a disk, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the lower third; coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully fold in to quarters and transfer to prepared pie plate. Trim all but 1-inch of dough from edge, then turn edge under and crimp. Freeze pie shell until firm (essential step), line with foil, and fill with beans or rice. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until crust is set, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights, then return crust to oven and bake until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
TANGY LEMON FILLING
For a tart and intense lemon flavor, add lemon extract or 2 tablespoons limoncello, a lemon liqueur. Omitting the extract or liqueuer results in a subtler, but still wonderfully lemony filling.
4 eggs
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for use in the meringue)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract, optional (it’ll make the lemon flavor tart & intense)
1 tablespoon lemon zest, minced
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients, then pour filling into prebaked crust. Carefully transfer pie to the oven and bake just until filling is set in the center, 25-30 minutes. Allow pie to cool 20 minutes on a rack, then cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 6 hours overnight.
BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
Notes: This is a wonderful meringue. One of my very favorites. It doesn’t weep. It does however, shrink and fall after the first day, so I recommend preparing and eating the pie on the same day. Also, pay close attention to the temperature of the sugar syrup. If it gets too far over 250 degrees, it will harden quickly when drizzled into the whites.
3/4 cup light brown sugar (do not use dark brown sugar)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
reserved egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir both sugars and water together in a saucepan over medium heat until sugars melt, swirling pan often; do not stir (this may cause the sugar to crystallize). Increase heat to medium-high and boil, swirling frequently, until it reaches 250 degrees. Remove syrup from heat.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment while sugar syrup boils. When whites reach soft peaks (they hold their shape and droop at the tip), begin drizzling in hot sugar syrup. Once syrup is incorporated, turn mixer to high and beat until meringue is stiff and glossy.
Spoon meringue on pie, spreading to the crust (the meringue will shrink during browning; be sure the meringue touches the crust all around to prevent gaps), then use a spatula or spoon to create decorative peaks and valleys in the meringue. Bake until meringue is golden, 8-12 minutes—do not overbake or filling will become soft.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
2 tablespoons cornstarch
cinnamon to taste (about ¼ tsp)
Drain pineapple juice into a small saucepan and set pineapple aside. In the saucepan, whisk pineapple juice with sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in reserved pineapple. Serve warm or at room temp.
ASPARAGUS BUNDLES WITH PROSCUITTO DRESSING
These are best when served immediately out of the broiler.
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed
1/2 cup prosciutto, sliced (2 oz.)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot, chopped (1 shallot)
1 tablespoon honey
2 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
Preheat broiler to high with rack 2-inches from heat. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 4 minutes, or until cooked but still slightly crisp. Cool in ice water; drain; Arrange in 4 bundles on a baking sheet. Sauté prosciutto in oil until crisp and frizzled. Add vinegar, shallot, and honey. Cook over medium heat until dressing thickens, about 5 minutes. Top asparagus with a thick slice of mozzarella; broil to melt cheese. Spoon hot dressing over and serve.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
POTATOES & LEEKS AU GRATIN
Makes one 9-inch square gratin.
You won’t use all of the sauce when making the gratin. Serve the remainder on the side. So yummy!
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, partially cooked, chilled, and thinly sliced*
1-1/2 cups (6 oz.) Swiss cheese, shredded
4 slices thick-sliced bacon, diced
3-1/2 cups leeks (about 4 large), washed and thinly sliced (white and light green parts)
1/4 cup dry white wine (or white grape juice)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
12 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup (about 5 oz.) Boursin cheese
Pinch each of nutmeg and cayenne
*Prepare potatoes as follows: Place peeled whole potatoes and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a large pot; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes. Test by piercing with a knife—the potatoes should resist but not feel “crunchy.” Cook 1-2 minutes more, if needed, but not until they break apart. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold, preferably overnight. (Chilling the potatoes makes them easy to slice. If they’re warm, they’re really sticky.) Once chilled, use a 2mm slicing disk on a food processor or a mandolin to slice the potatoes. Do not attempt to slice by hand. The potatoes must be uniform in thickness for even cooking and best presentation.
Prepare potatoes and cheese; set aside until assembly. To make filling, sauté bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings; add leeks.
Sauté leeks until soft, 5 minutes. Add reserved bacon and wine; simmer until wine reduces, 1 minute. Don’t overcook-leeks will soften further in the oven. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
For the sauce, simmer milk, garlic, and bay leaf in sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk in cheeses a little at a time, stirring until smooth and thick, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove garlic and bay leaf.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees; grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Coat bottom of pan with 1/3 cup sauce and cover with potato slices, overlapping slightly. Arrange another layer of potatoes on the first.
Top potato slice with 1/3 cup sauce, 1/2 cup leek filling, and 1/4 cup Swiss cheese. Follow with two more layers of potato slices, the more leeks, sauce, and cheese. Continue building two more layers, ending with a double layer of potatoes on top.
Spread 1/2 cup sauce over last potato layer and sprinkle with remaining cheese. (You won’t use all of the sauce; reserve the remainder to serve with the potatoes on the side). Cover pan with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake until it’s tender when pierced with a knife and brown on top, 15-20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
INDIVIDUAL CORN SOUFFLES
These are best when made with fresh corn, but frozen corn can be substituted in a pinch.
2-1/2 cups corn (about 7 large ears), roasted and cut
2 cups water
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal, coarse
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup Half & Half
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons chives, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (optional)
Bring 2 cups water to a boil and slowly add cornmeal (grits make a great substitute). Reduce heat. Stir until smooth and thick—about 2 minutes.
In separate bowl, beat eggs. Add some hot cornmeal to the eggs, then mix, to temper the eggs. Now add egg mixture, Half & Half, butter, and cheeses to cornmeal.
Fold in remaining ingredients, including 1 cup of corn; reserve the remaining 1-1/2 cups corn. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. (Remember that sugar intensifies pepper.)
Butter eight 7-oz. ramekins or other molds. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved corn to bottom of each ramekin. Pour 1/2 cup corn mixture in each ramekin. Bake on sheet pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE
This torte forms a light crust on top—somewhat similar to a brownie—but you flip it over to serve it, so the top doesn’t show. To serve, dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, pair with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, or glaze with a chocolate ganache.
This is deeply rich and decadent and chocolaty through and through. Buy the best quality chocolate you can. Do not use Baker’s brand chocolate or the other low-end baking chocolates available at your local supermarket. A cost-friendly option is the Belgian chocolate available at Trader Joe’s. It’s around $5/pound.
Do not try to make this torte without the baking stone and the water bath.
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup heavy cream
Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven, place a baking stone on it, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with a parchment circle. Lightly spray the top of the parchment.
Separate 2 of the eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, stir the 4 whole eggs and the 2 yolks until the yolks and whites are well blended. Strain the eggs and discard the goopy mess left in the strainer. Add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 10 minutes.
Place the chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave with frequent stirring to melt; 50% power for 2 minutes usually works
Add the cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and butter to the beaten egg mixture and beat for a few seconds to blend.
Pour a little of the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and gently fold together by hand with a large spoon or spatula. Fold in more and more chocolate until all is added.
In a cold bowl with cold beaters, whip the cream until soft peaks form when the beater is lifted. Beat a little beyond this soft peak stage. Stir about one-quarter of the whipped cream into the batter to lighten. Then fold the rest of the whipped cream into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
In a medium saucepan, bring about 3 cups of water to a boil. To make a water bath, place the cake pan in a larger pan and place in the oven on the baking stone. Carefully pour the boiling water into the larger pan until it comes about 1-1/2 inches up the side of the cake pan. Close the oven door and bake uncovered in the water bath for about 45 minutes. Make sure that the torte is sufficiently done; a toothpick inserted into the torte should come out clean and the torte should be firm to the touch.
Allow to cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour. When completely cooled, wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
To remove from the pan, run a thin knife around the edge of the torte. Heat the bottom of the pan over a burner on the stove for about 10 seconds and then invert onto an 8-inch cake board if decorating with icing, or onto a serving platter if sprinkling with confectioners’ sugar.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.
LEMON PIE WITH BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
CRUST
This crust works especially well with this filling, holding up well against sogginess.
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cold, cubed
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cubed
4—6 tablespoons ice water
Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together for the crust in a bowl. Cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender until butter is pea-size.
Add ice water, stirring with a fork until dough comes together but is neither dry nor sticky. Wrap dough in plastic, flatten into a disk, and chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the lower third; coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Carefully fold in to quarters and transfer to prepared pie plate. Trim all but 1-inch of dough from edge, then turn edge under and crimp. Freeze pie shell until firm (essential step), line with foil, and fill with beans or rice. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until crust is set, 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and weights, then return crust to oven and bake until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
TANGY LEMON FILLING
For a tart and intense lemon flavor, add lemon extract or 2 tablespoons limoncello, a lemon liqueur. Omitting the extract or liqueuer results in a subtler, but still wonderfully lemony filling.
4 eggs
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for use in the meringue)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract, optional (it’ll make the lemon flavor tart & intense)
1 tablespoon lemon zest, minced
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients, then pour filling into prebaked crust. Carefully transfer pie to the oven and bake just until filling is set in the center, 25-30 minutes. Allow pie to cool 20 minutes on a rack, then cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 6 hours overnight.
BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE
Notes: This is a wonderful meringue. One of my very favorites. It doesn’t weep. It does however, shrink and fall after the first day, so I recommend preparing and eating the pie on the same day. Also, pay close attention to the temperature of the sugar syrup. If it gets too far over 250 degrees, it will harden quickly when drizzled into the whites.
3/4 cup light brown sugar (do not use dark brown sugar)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
reserved egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir both sugars and water together in a saucepan over medium heat until sugars melt, swirling pan often; do not stir (this may cause the sugar to crystallize). Increase heat to medium-high and boil, swirling frequently, until it reaches 250 degrees. Remove syrup from heat.
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment while sugar syrup boils. When whites reach soft peaks (they hold their shape and droop at the tip), begin drizzling in hot sugar syrup. Once syrup is incorporated, turn mixer to high and beat until meringue is stiff and glossy.
Spoon meringue on pie, spreading to the crust (the meringue will shrink during browning; be sure the meringue touches the crust all around to prevent gaps), then use a spatula or spoon to create decorative peaks and valleys in the meringue. Bake until meringue is golden, 8-12 minutes—do not overbake or filling will become soft.
For a printable version of the above recipe, click here.