Lemon Luscious Pie (Recipe)

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 egg yolks

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine, cut up

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 9-inch pie shell, baked

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup sugar, the cornstarch and lemon peel.  Stir in the lemon juice, egg yolks and milk until blended.  Add the butter or margarine.

2. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Cover the surface of filling with plastic wrap and refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the filling from the refrigerator.  Fold in the sour cream.  Spoon the filling into the pie shell.  Cover the surface of the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. In a small mixing bowl, beat the whipping cream with an electric mixer until thickened.  Gradually beat in the 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla.  Continue to beat until the whipped cream is fluffy.  Spread the whipped cream over the top of the pie.  Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

Tips:

You'll need to buy one large or two medium lemons to have enough juice and peel for this recipe.  Look for well shaped fruits with smooth,evenly yellow skin.

For best results when whipping the cream, chill the bowl and the beaters in your freezer for 10 minutes before you begin.  Be sure that your cream is very cold and whip it with an electric mixer set on medium speed (not high) to avoid overbeating.  (Overbeating will cause your cream to turn into butter.)  When choosing your bowl, keep in mind that whipping cream doubles in volume when whipped.

To make a decorative edge on your pastry shell, roll out the pastry scraps until very thin.  Use a knife or canape cutter to cut the pastry into desired shapes.  Brush the edge of the pastry shell with water.  Arrange the cutouts on the edge of the pastry shell and press lightly to secure.

To prevent the crust from bubbling too much or shrinking while baking, use the tines of a fork to prick the unbaked pastry shell several times.  Be sure to prick the bottom and the side.