Turning on the oven during North State summers can be one of the last things most of us want to do. But what if you need a nice dessert? How about a no-bake lemon pie? I know, exciting, right?
The only time you will have to be near the stove is to make the lemon curd. I suggest knocking out the lemon curd in the early morning. That way the weather is not so bad, and the delicious lemon curd has plenty of time to rest in the nice chilly refrigerator.
Garnish the lemon pie with fresh berries from our local vendors and your dessert will be spectacular!
No-Bake Lemon Pie
Lemon Curd
6 egg yolks (save the whites!)
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter — cut in chunks
In a medium sauce pan, whisk in all the ingredients except the butter. Stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat. Stir for about 20 minutes until the lemon mixture becomes thick. Remove from heat and add the butter, one chunk at a time, stirring to incorporate. Pour mixture into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate overnight.
Crust
1 stick unsalted butter — very soft
2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
Crush vanilla wafer cookies. My preferred method is to pop a bunch in a large Ziploc bag, give my boys a rolling pin and let them go to town. In a small bowl, combine the butter and the vanilla crumbs. Press the mixture firmly into a buttered 9-inch pie dish. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to overnight.
Filling
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Lemon Curd
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the lemon curd. Pour lemon mixture into wafer crust. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can swing it. Garnish with fresh berries. Enjoy!
Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she and her family moved to Redding 11 years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and husband Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.
Copyright 2009 Andrea R. Charroin. Visit her blog at bakerslove.typepad.com
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