Citrusy Lemon Chess Pie with Cornmeal
This lemon chess pie is the kind you’d find cooling on a farmhouse table—firm in the center, smooth as pudding, and just the right balance of sweet and tart. Baked in a pre-baked crust and finished with a cloud of whipped cream, it slices easily once cooled and feels like something your grandma might’ve made on a Sunday afternoon. With both lemon and orange juice it has lots of citrus flavor.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch pie crust (partially baked)
- 1 ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon stone ground yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 5 large eggs
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Roll out the pie crust and place in pie plate. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Place a flat cookie sheet in the oven and preheat to 425º.
- Remove pie crust from freezer and line with parchment paper. Place pie weights in the center. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are set. Remove the pie weights and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let cool.
Pie
- Preheat oven to 325º.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, sugar, cornmeal, flour and salt. Add melted butter and whisk to combine, then add eggs one at a time whisking well after each addition. Continue to whisk briskly until the filling is thick and light colored. Stir in the heavy cream then lemon juice, orange juice and vanilla.
- Pour the pie filling into a cooled pie crust. Bake for 40-50 minutes rotating half way through. Remove when the edges are set and center is slightly jiggly and it is golden on top. Do not over bake or the custard can separate. The filling will continue to cook as it cools. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 3-4 hours.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Be carefully not to over bake the pie, it will continue to cook once removed from the oven.
- Cover the edges of the pie with a pie shield or aluminum foil half way through the cooking time to prevent it from getting too brown.
- Plan ahead as it needs to cool for 3-4 hours.
- This pie is best served at room temperature but can be refrigerated.
Nutrition
Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 348mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
