Pie of the Week
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[Photograph: Sarah Baird]

A buttery poppyseed shell filled with lemon curd makes for a light and sweet pie.

About the author: Sarah Baird is a writer, editor, and petit four aficionado living in New Orleans, Louisiana. She likes planning elaborate dinner parties surrounded by her collection of dwarf citrus trees. You can read her latest musings and about her various misadventures on her website: hellosarahbaird.com or follow her on Twitter: @scbaird.

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About This Recipe

Yield: make 1 9-inch pie
Active time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Special equipment: food processor

Ingredients

  • For the Crust:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  •  
  • For the Filling:
  • 4 lemons
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Procedures

  1. For the Crust: Using a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, lemon zest, and butter until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer. Add egg and pulse until dough easily forms a ball. Knead in poppy seeds until evenly distributed. Adjust your oven rack to the center position and heat to 350. Parbake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

  2. To Assemble: Zest lemons then squeeze 3/4 cup of lemon juice into a small bowl and set aside. Combine zest and sugar in food processor and mince until well combined. Cream butter and lemon sugar until smooth using a handheld electric mixer. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, then add the lemon juice until combined.

  3. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour into parbaked crust. Bake until filling begins to set, about 15 minutes. Remove and cool until filling is set completely.