Lemon Pie

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The ultimate lemon pie

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Sugar Dough

• Any crust can be achieved using the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or the food processor. Cream together the butter with the sugar, salt and almond meal until well combined. Then, add in the egg, flour, and lime zest, mixing until just incorporated. Next, divide the pastry dough into two portions. Roll out each portion into a 3mm thick pastry sheet between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic guitar sheets. It's important to keep the pastry sheets smooth and neat to avoid creating wrinkles. Once rolled out, freeze the pastry sheets to firm them up. Take one of the frozen pastry sheets and cut it into a disk slightly larger in diameter than the bottom of your tart pan. Carefully place the pastry disk inside the tart pan, ensuring that it is still firm but thawed enough to mold into the pan. Freeze the tart shell to set it. With the remaining frozen pastry sheet, cut out 1-inch strips to create the edges of the tart crust. Gently line the edges of the tart shell with the pastry strips, trimming any excess dough as needed. Prick the bottom of the tart shell with a fork and freeze the entire tart until you're ready to bake it.
  

Baking

• Preheat your fan oven to 320ºF/160ºC. Blind baking is another technique that is essential for achieving a crisp and flaky tart shell. By blind baking your frozen tart shell for 20 minutes with pie weights, you are setting the foundation for a well-cooked and sturdy crust. After blind baking, it's important to remove the pie weights and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the tart shell is a beautiful golden brown.
  

Praliné

• Start by toasting almond and buckwheat groats separately in the oven for about 10 minutes. In a skillet, melt sugar until it forms a dark amber caramel. Add warm toasted almonds, vanilla, and a pinch of salt to the caramel, then transfer the mixture onto a silicone mat to cool. Once cooled, break the caramelized almonds into pieces and blend them in a food processor or Vitamix until a paste forms. If the texture is too stiff, add cocoa butter or oil to smooth it out. This praliné can be stored for months in a sealed container. The addition of buckwheat to the praliné not only improves the texture but also enhances the overall flavor profile of the lemon pie. Mix the toasted buckwheat groats into the praliné.
  

Lime Marmalade

• Mix the sugar and agar-agar together. Meanwhile, heat up the lime, lemon juice, and water in a saucepan. Once heated, whisk in the sugar-agar mixture and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Next, allow the mixture to chill until it sets. Once set, blend it until smooth, adding limoncello for that extra touch of Italian elegance. For a burst of flavor and texture, fold in diced poached lemon pieces.
  

Lemon Curd

• Soak the gelatin in cold water to soften, and drain. Next, in a saucepan, melt butter and combine it with lemon juice, sugar, and eggs. Whisking constantly over medium heat until mixture reaches 185ºF/85ºC. Once your lemon mixture has reached the ideal temperature, remove it from the heat and sieve it to remove any lumps or unwanted bits. Add the softened gelatin and lime zest to the mixture. Blend until well incorporated, and remember to keep the lemon curd lukewarm.
  

Montage

• Coat the bottom tart shell with praliné (you may not need to use it all). After Spread with the lukewarm lemon curd over the praliné, pop the tart into the freezer for 30 minutes to allow it to set. This step is crucial for ensuring that the layers stay intact and that the flavors meld together perfectly. Once the tart has chilled and set, top it off with a layer of lime marmalade.
  

Italian Meringue

• To start, you will need a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin by beating the egg whites with lemon juice until they reach a foamy stage. It's important to wait until this stage before adding the cooked sugar syrup. Next, you will need to cook sugar and water until it reaches a temperature of 245ºF/118ºC. Once the sugar syrup has reached the correct temperature, carefully pour it in a thin stream into the foamy egg whites while increasing the mixer speed. This gradual addition of the hot syrup helps to stabilize the meringue and create a smooth texture. Continue beating the meringue on high speed until stiff peaks form. Once stiff peaks have formed, lower the speed and continue to beat the meringue until it has cooled down. To finish off the lemon meringue pie, carefully spread the meringue over the pie, creating a dome shape. You can use a spatula to create decorative spikes in the meringue before using a torch to lightly toast the surface.
  

Storage

• Lemon pie can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for 3 months. Enjoy!

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