Kumquat shaker pie
Pies
I'm intrigued by the idea of Shaker pie, also known as Ohio Lemon Pie. The Joy of Cooking recipe calls for 2 medium to large lemons to be zested then very thinly sliced and seeded. The zest and lemon slices are macerated in sugar for 2 to 24 hours, then combined with eggs, melted butter, and flour. The mixture is then baked in a double-crust pie shell. It sounds interesting and delicious to me in theory. In practice, though, I'm less than thrilled with the results. The pith from the lemons imparts an overwhelming bitterness, and even when the lemons are sliced exquisitely thin they have a tough and stringy texture. I tried several different variations on the theme with varying degrees of disappointment—too bitter, too sweet, not citrusy enough.... I finally felt like I struck gold with a combination of kumquats, lime zest, and lime juice. The resulting pie has bright citrus flavor – sweet and a bit tart, with barely a hint of bitterness. The texture is lovely—like a lemon curd enveloping tender pieces of kumquat. Add a flaky crust with a crackly sugar topping, and the pie is complete. This is the Shaker pie of my dreams, and it was well worth the effort! <br />
Share:
0
11
0
Comments