Pie and Pastry Bible (46 page)

EQUIPMENT

A 9-inch pie pan; optional: a pastry bag or reclosable quart-size freezer bag and a number 7 star pastry tube

Make the crust (page 68). Press it into the pan (see page 69) and chill it.

MAKE THE CUSTARD FILLING

In a small bowl, place the water and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set it aside for at least 3 minutes.

In a small heavy saucepan, stir together the pumpkin, ½ cup of the sugar, the spices, and the salt. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a sputtering simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until thick and shiny. Scrape the mixture into a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the work bowl. With the motor on, add the milk, processing until incorporated. Add the egg yolks one at a time, processing just to incorporate, about 5 seconds after each addition. Add the gelatin mixture and pulse in.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and heat, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes or until thickened slightly (160° to 170°F.). Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and set it aside

A MAXIMUM OF 20 MINUTES BEFORE USING IT, MAKE THE MERINGUE

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Gradually beat in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, beating until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised. Set the meringue aside.

Chill the pumpkin custard by placing the bowl in a bowl of ice water with about a tablespoon of salt added to speed chilling. Stir occasionally for the first 10 minutes and then slowly but constantly for about 10 minutes longer. (If you prefer, you can refrigerate the mixture, stirring occasionally for the first 10 minutes and then every few minutes.) When a small amount dropped from the spoon mounds very slightly on the surface before disappearing, immediately remove the bowl from the water bath and, using a whisk, fold in the meringue just until blended. (This custard is very thick, so it does not need to set fully in order to keep the meringue evenly dispersed.) There will be about 5 cups of filling, so it will mound nicely in the pie shell. Pour it at once into the prepared pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.

To serve: If desired, pipe rosettes of whipped cream on top of the pie (see page 620) and garnish with the coarsely chopped pecans.

STORE

Refrigerated, 2 to 3 days.

NOTE

The filling can be poured into small hollowed-out pumpkin shells or bowls instead of into a crust. It will keep in a bowl, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

UNDERSTANDING

This pie uses the same special method of cooking and processing the pumpkin and spices to create a mellow flavor and silky texture as does Great Pumpkin Pie (page 198). But instead of being baked, gelatin and a meringue of the egg whites are folded into it to create a lighter, airier texture. The pumpkin is slightly decreased, the spices significantly decreased, and the brown sugar replaced by white to harmonize better with the lighter texture.

The filling is heated to 160° to 170°F. to ensure that the amylase enzyme in the yolk, which would cause it to thin out after cooling, is destroyed, as—unlike Great Pumpkin Pie—this pie does not get baked.

LEMON ANGEL CHIFFON PIE

I
n this pie, a crisp meringue serves as the pie shell to contain a lilting, refreshing, intensely lemony, and creamy filling. It’s fun to think of it as an upsidedown lemon meringue pie with crunchy meringue.

This is an excellent fancy dessert for entertaining, as the finished pie freezes for up to six weeks. The optional raspberry sauce can also be made way ahead.

As a variation, any of the citrus curd variations, such as lime or orange, or the passion fruit (page 568), can be used in place of the lemon. If you choose passion, replace the raspberry sauce with strawberry sauce. If you choose an orange curd filling, make a chocolate meringue (page 575) or chocolate cookie crust (page 61) as the pie shell and replace the raspberry sauce with a chocolate lace topping (page 303).

EQUIPMENT

A 10-inch pie pan if using the meringue shell, or a 9-inch pie pan; optional: a number 7 large star pastry tube and a pastry bag or a reclosable quart-size freezer bag

SERVES: 8 TO 10
INGREDIENTS	MEASURE	WEIGHT
	VOLUME	OUNCES	GRAMS
Crisp Meringue Shell for a 10-inch pie (page 575, 4-eggwhite meringue), baked, or Sweet Nut Cookie Tart Crust, made with almonds, for a 9-inch pie (page 59), prebaked	1 generous cup	10.75 ounces	307 grams
heavy cream	½ liquid cup	4 ounces	116 grams
Lemon Curd finely grated lemon zest	1 teaspoon	•	2 grams
2 large eggs yolks	2 tablespoons +	1.25 ounces	37 grams
(2 egg whites reserved)	1 teaspoon
sugar	2 tablespoons	0.75 ounce	25 grams
freshly squeezed lemon juice	3 tablespoons	1.6 ounces	46 grams
unsalted butter, softened	2 tablespoons	1 ounce	28 grams
salt	a pinch	•	•
Light Italian Meringue gelatin	½ teaspoon + teaspoon	•	•
water	3 tablespoons, divided	•	•
sugar, preferably superfine	7 tablespoons, divided	3 ounces	87 grams
2 large egg whites (reserved )	¼ liquid cup	2 ounces	60 grams
cream of tartar	¼ teaspoon	•	•
Optional Garnish Raspberry Sauce (page 603)	1¼ cups	•	•
heavy cream	½ liquid cup	4 ounces	116 grams

Make the meringue shell (page 575) or dough (page 59). Pipe the meringue into the pan and bake it (see page 621) or roll and shape the dough and transfer it to the pan and prebake it (see pages 50-54).

In a large mixing bowl, place the heavy cream and refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes. Chill the whisk beater alongside the bowl.

MAKE THE LEMON CURD

Put the lemon zest in a medium bowl, suspend a strainer over it, and set it aside near the range.

In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, beat the yolks and sugar until well blended. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the lemon zest (and whites). Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and resembles hollandaise sauce—it should thickly coat a wooden spoon but still be liquid enough to pour. The mixture will change from translucent to opaque and begin to take on a yellow color on the back of the spoon. It must not be allowed to come to the boil, or it will curdle. Whenever steam appears, remove the pan briefly from the heat, stirring constantly, to keep the mixture from boiling. When the curd has thickened (196°F.), pour it at once into the strainer. Press with the back of a spoon until only the coarse residue remains, and discard it. Stir gently to mix in the zest and allow the lemon curd to cool completely.

When the lemon curd has cooled, beat the cream in the chilled bowl just until the cream mounds softly when dropped from a spoon. Add the lemon curd and, with a whisk or rubber spatula, fold the two together until completely uniform. Finish by using a rubber spatula to reach to the bottom. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.

MAKE THE LIGHT ITALIAN MERINGUE

Have ready a 1-cup heatproof liquid measure by the range.

In a small heatproof measuring cup, place the gelatin and 1 tablespoon of the water and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Set the cup in a pan of simmering water for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until the gelatin is dissolved. (This can also be done in a few seconds in a microwave on high power, stirring once or twice.)

In a small heavy saucepan, preferably with a nonstick lining, stir together 6 tablespoons of the sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of water until the sugar is completely moistened. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is bubbling. Stop stirring and turn down the heat to the lowest setting. (If using an electric range, remove the pan from the heat.)

In a mixing bowl, using the whisk beater, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form when the beater is raised slowly. Gradually beat in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly.

Increase the heat under the sugar syrup and boil the syrup until a thermometer registers 248° to 250°F. (firm ball stage). Immediately pour it into the glass measure to stop the cooking.

If using an electric hand-held mixer, beat the syrup into the whites in a steady stream. To keep the syrup from spinning onto the sides of the bowl, do not allow it
to fall directly on the beaters. If using a stand mixer, pour a small amount of syrup over the whites with the mixer off. Immediately beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Stop the mixer and add a larger amount of syrup. Beat at high speed for 5 seconds. Continue with the remaining syrup. With the last addition, use a rubber scraper to remove the syrup clinging to the measure.

Lower the speed to medium, add the gelatin mixture, and beat at medium speed until cool, about 2 minutes.

Use a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula to fold the Italian meringue into the lemon cream mixture in two parts. (You will have about 3¾ cups.) Spoon the mixture into the prepared pie shell, smoothing the surface to make it even. The filling needs to set for at least 4 hours before serving.

MAKE THE OPTIONAL GARNISH

Just before serving, or up to 4 hours ahead, drizzle some of the raspberry sauce over the surface of the pie. In a cold bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised and pipe a shell or star border (see page 621) or spoon it around the edge of the lemon curd filling. Pass the rest of the sauce.

STORE

Uncovered, refrigerated, up to 1 day; frozen (without the whipped cream border), up to 6 weeks.

POINTERS FOR SUCCESS FOR THE LEMON CURD

See page 570.