This recipe yields a delightful Creamy Lemon Slab Pie, a large-format dessert perfect for serving a crowd. It features a buttery, flaky crust filled with a smooth, tangy, and vibrantly lemon-flavored custard. Slab pies are essentially pies baked in a rectangular pan, making them easier to slice and serve to a larger number of people compared to traditional round pies. This lemon version offers a bright and refreshing flavor profile, balancing the tartness of lemon with a sweet and creamy custard base. The crust, whether homemade or store-bought, provides a sturdy and delicious foundation for the luscious filling. The custard is typically made with fresh lemon juice and zest for maximum lemon flavor, combined with sugar, eggs (or egg yolks for extra richness), and a thickening agent like cornstarch or flour to create a smooth and creamy texture when baked. The baking process sets the custard while allowing the crust to turn golden brown and flaky. Once baked and cooled, the slab pie can be cut into neat squares, making it ideal for potlucks, parties, or any gathering where a refreshing and easy-to-handle dessert is needed. Its bright yellow color and tangy-sweet flavor make it a crowd-pleasing option, especially for those who enjoy citrus desserts. The image shows a rectangular slab pie with a golden-brown, crimped crust and a smooth, pale yellow filling. The top panel shows a spatula cutting into the pie. The bottom panel displays a slice of the pie next to the remaining portion in the baking pan, revealing a thick, creamy custard filling.
The texture of Creamy Lemon Slab Pie is a delightful combination of a flaky and tender crust and a smooth, rich, and creamy lemon custard filling that is firm enough to hold its shape when sliced.
The flavor profile is bright and tangy, dominated by the refreshing zest and juice of fresh lemons, balanced by a sweet and creamy custard base. The buttery crust adds a rich and slightly savory counterpoint to the sweet and tart filling.
Creamy Lemon Slab Pie is a refreshing and easy-to-serve dessert that offers a delightful balance of tart lemon flavor and creamy custard in a convenient slab format.
The preparation involves making or using a rectangular pie crust, preparing a creamy lemon custard filling, pouring it into the crust, baking until set, and then cooling and slicing.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- ½ cup ice water
Alternatively, you can use 2 store-bought refrigerated pie crusts, thawed.
For the Creamy Lemon Filling:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3-4 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2-3 lemons)
- 6 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Equipment:
- 9×13 inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl (for crust)
- Pastry blender or your fingertips (for crust)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium saucepan (for filling)
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Small bowl (for egg yolks)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Crust (if making from scratch): In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough into a rectangle large enough to fit the bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch baking pan. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan, pressing it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges for decoration.
- Prepare the Crust (if using store-bought): Unroll the two refrigerated pie crusts. Place one crust in the bottom of the 9×13 inch baking pan, pressing it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim any excess dough.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Make the Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well combined. Gradually whisk in the water until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Cook the Filling: Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil and thickens significantly. Continue to cook and stir for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Gradually whisk about ½ cup of the hot lemon mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper them and prevent them from scrambling.
- Combine Filling and Egg Yolks: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining lemon mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the filling thickens again and is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted and incorporated.
- Pour Filling into Crust: Pour the warm lemon filling evenly into the prepared pie crust in the baking pan.
- Bake the Pie: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set (it should no longer jiggle significantly when the pan is gently shaken).
- Cool Completely: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours. Then, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the filling to fully set.
- Slice and Serve: Once chilled, cut the lemon slab pie into squares and serve. It can be enjoyed plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
Enjoy this bright and creamy Lemon Slab Pie – a perfect dessert for sharing!