Regina Schramblings Shaker Lemon Pie Food

SHAKER LEMON TART

Steps:

• The day before serving, prepare the filling. Wash and dry the lemons. Freeze them for 10 minutes and then slice them as finely as you can using a mandoline, meat slicer or very sharp knife. As you slice, pull out and discard any seeds. Place the lemons in a mixing bowl and toss with the sugar. Cover with a dish towel and set on the counter overnight.
• The next day, prepare the pastry: combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork or pastry cutter, work half of the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Quickly work the remaining butter into the dough until the biggest pieces are the size of lima beans. Drizzle in the water in several additions, tossing and mixing between each. (It should look rather ropy and rough.) Stop adding water when a few bits of dry flour remain in the bottom of the bowl; do not overwork the dough or it will become tough. Gather the dough into 2 balls and wrap each tightly with plastic wrap, then flatten into disks. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Unwrap a disk of dough, place between two sheets of plastic wrap and roll into a 9-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Trim the excess dough. Lay it on a cookie sheet, cover and refrigerate. Roll the second disk into an 11-inch circle, 1/8-inch thick. Trim the excess dough. Gently place the larger circle in a 9-inch tart pan, letting the excess dough rise up the sides (do not trim). Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Using your hands, mix the eggs, flour and butter into the lemon-sugar mixture, squeezing the lemons as you mix. Pour the mixture into the dough-lined tart pan to just below the pan's rim. Using the point of a paring knife, carve 4 to 6 holes in the crust of the small dough circle. Lay it on top of the filling. Roughly fold the edges of the bottom crust over the top circle. Brush with milk. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes more. Cool completely before serving.

REGINA SCHRAMBLING'S SHAKER LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Wash the lemons, then cut in half lengthwise. Cut the halves into paper-thin slices, rind and all. Remove the seeds and place the slices in a glass bowl. Add the sugar and mix well. Cover, and let stand overnight.
• Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the shortening and the butter. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour a tablespoon at a time, tossing until the ingredients cling together. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and press the dough together. Cut off one-third of the dough. Wrap both pieces in plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. On a lightly floured board, roll out the larger portion of the dough into a circle large enough to fit in a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough into the pan and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the eggs in a bowl and beat until they are frothy. Pour them over the lemon mixture and blend well. Pour the mixture into the pie pan.
• Roll the remaining pie dough out into a circle large enough to fit over the pie. Place the dough on top of the lemon mixture. Trim off all but 1/2 inch of the excess dough. Pinch the top and bottom layers of the dough together, crimping the edges. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits across the center of the pie so that the steam can escape. Brush the crust lightly with the heavy cream.
• Place the pie on the lower rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Move the pie to the center rack and lower the oven setting to 350 degrees. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer, until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is set. Remove and cool completely before slicing. Serve with the whipped cream, if desired.

SHAKER LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Using your sharpest knife (a serrated knife is ideal), trim each lemon to remove the stem end and tip. Slice each lemon crosswise, as thinly as you can possibly do it, into paper-thin circles. If you can drape them over the knife blade like the watches in Salvador Dali's surrealistic paintings, you're on the right track. Scoop up as much of the escaping lemon juices as you work, and add them to the bowl of sliced lemons.
• Chop the thinly sliced lemons coarsely, so that the largest pieces of lemon rind and pith are only 1 inch long, again gathering escaping juices back into the bowl for their flavor.
• Add the sugar to the bowl of lemons, and stir to mix them together really well. Cover and set aside at room temperature, for at least 3 hours and as long as overnight. Stir occasionally with a big spoon, to mix everything together well.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust, leaving a 1-inch overhang.
• Add the eggs, flour, and salt to the bowl of sugary lemons. Stir to mix everything evenly and well. Pour this filling into the piecrust.
• Use a little water to wet the top rim of pastry around the piecrust. Roll the remaining dough into a 10-inch circle and place it carefully over the filling. Trim away the extra pastry, leaving a 1-inch overhang extending beyond the rim of the pie pan. Fold the crust up and over, and crimp it decoratively. Or press the tines of a fork into the pastry rim, working around the pan to make a design. Cut 8 steam vents in the top of the pie, so that steam can escape and the pie's juices can bubble up.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet and place it on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the filling is bubbling and thickened, and the pastry crust is cooked and handsomely browned, 25 to 35 minutes more. Place the pie on a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel and let cool to room temperature.

LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• For the curd, combine zest, juice, sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl, and beat well. Add butter, and place over a saucepan full of simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until mixture thickens into curd, about 5 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and press plastic wrap onto surface to keep skin from forming. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust with 1 tablespoon flour, shaking out excess.
• With an electric mixer, cream the remaining butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt, and stir in. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until they start to foam. Do not overbeat or the cake will be tough. Add eggs and ground almonds to batter, and mix well.
• Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 individual tablespoons lemon curd around perimeter of batter, leaving a 1-inch border, and taking care to space drops evenly. Drop 3 to 4 tablespoons curd into center of batter. Refrigerate remaining curd for another use. Sprinkle cake with toasted almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, depending on taste.
• Bake until cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick inserted into cake (not curd) comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool on rack 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan, and cool completely.
• Whip cream with almond liqueur. Present cake at table, and offer whipped cream on the side.

SHAKER LEMON PIE

Steps:

• In a large glass bowl, combine lemons, sugar and salt. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature., Preheat oven to 450°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet. Trim even with rim. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy; lightly brush over crust. Add lemon mixture, flour and vanilla to eggs; mix well. Pour into crust. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge. Cut slits in top., Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 400°. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 20-25 minutes longer. Cover edge loosely with foil during the last 10 if needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack; serve warm.

SHAKER STYLE SLICED LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Slice lemons, with rind still on, as thinly as possible, preferably paper thin; place in a bowl. Add 2 cups sugar and let stand, stirring occasionally, until sugar is well absorbed, at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.
• Roll out pastry to line pie plate. Beat eggs well; add nutmeg, if using. Arrange layers of lemon slices and their juice over the unbaked pastry, sprinkling each with extra sugar as you go. Pour egg mixture over all.
• Roll out remaining pastry and place over filling crimping edges. Cut vents in center. Paint crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 450F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and to 350F and bake 35 minutes more, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Chill before serving.

SHAKER LEMON PIE

Steps:

• Combine the lemon slices and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in a bowl; gently toss together so the slices are well coated. Let stand at least 2 hours; longer (even overnight) is better.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Divide the dough in half; roll out one-half and line the pie pan with it.
• Stir the beaten eggs into the lemon mixture.
• Spread the mixture over the pie dough.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup sugar over the filling.
• Roll the remaining dough out and place over the filling.
• Crimp the edges and cut vents on top.
• Bake for 15 minutes; lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake for about 20 minutes more, until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.