A creamy lemon filling topped with a dreamy whipped topping? Also is there anything better than mini?
What makes this recipe great?
There's a fun game that I frequently play in my kitchen- what can I make with the ingredients I have? For me this makes me think of things I wouldn't normally try and forces me to be creative. So the other day I realized I had lemons and not just one or two but a substantial little pile. A pile, I thought, that was just waiting to be made into a pie. So a pie, that's what I'll make. I didn't need a FULL blown pie though I only really wanted a couple bites; the only thing better than a BIG pie is a bunch of mini ones. How many little pies make one big pie? Well I don't know but for whatever reason the calories don't count if it's bite sized. I digress. Curd is so easy and delicious to make. The trick is not to get tripped up by the double boiler. People read this and panic, thinking this "fancy kitchen tool" is out of their league. Let me clear something up- most kitchen things that seem fancy are stupid simple. A double boiler is really just a bowl that you fit over a saucepan. You do need to do this for this recipe but don't let it scare you off- it's really so you don't cook the eggs (because who wants scrambled eggs in your lemon pie? Not me).
Anyways, curd is easy to make. Graham cracker crust is easy to make. Whipped cream is easy to make. Put all these elements together and you have a delicious treat. This is another assembly recipe and requires virtually no baking. It's sweet and simple and looks a lot more complicated than it is (we love that trick). The tartness of the curd (I love this recipe because it's not SO tart, it has a velvety, lush nature that's just divine) balances with the creaminess of the heavy whipping cream and then that graham cracker crust gives you that texture it needs. It's the perfect recipe for a dinner party (or really any party). It's a couple satisfying bites of pure goodness.
RECIPE
Prep it:
Mini muffin tin (non stick or butter and flour it thoroughly)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit
Double boiler (if you have an actual double boiler use that but I used a metal bowl that fitted over my saucepan)
The Lemon Curd
5 egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
4 lemons (zested and juiced)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used digestives but these work too!)
4 tblspn sugar (if using digestives no sugar is needed)
5 tblspn butter
Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tbspn powdered sugar
The Curd
Put about an inch of water in the saucepan and place yolks and sugar into the metal bowl. Keep on medium heat and whisk the yolks and sugar until combined. Add lemon juice and zest. Whisking constantly, keep on medium heat for about 8 minutes. The mixture should thicken a bit and turn a pale yellow. Pull off heat and add butter a chunk at a time until smooth and silky. Put in tupperware to seal and let sit in the fridge for about two hours.
Graham Cracker Crust
To crumble graham crackers (or digestives) place in food processor (or blender) and pulse until all is crumbs. Put into a bowl with melted butter and sugar (if using) and mix together. Press about 1/2 a tablespoon of crumbs into mini muffin tins. I used a cap from a bottle in my kitchen to press the crumbs down into the tins but if you have a tool for this- go for it! Put in oven for about 5 minutes. Depending on your oven the crusts can cook quite quick so keep an eye out. They should be golden brown when you take them out. Once baked, put them to the side to cool.
Whipped Cream
Beat cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. I use a whisk but this can take a while and kill your arms so I recommend a hand mixer. If not using right away, cover and put in the fridge.
The Assembly
Once pie crusts are cooled and the curd has been refrigerated for 2 hours (it should be thick and not liquid-y at all) scoop curd into each crust. Once all curd has been used in each pie, put back in the fridge for an hour to let pies set a bit more. Once set, take out of the fridge and take a fork and lift each pie out of the pan. They should come out very easily, don't be concerned if there's a slight crumble. With the pies on a plate dollop cream unto each pie. Don't waste another minute, give this treat a try!
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