Shaker Lemon Pie

This was quite an unusual pie for me. I’d never heard of shaker lemon pie before, or even imagined a pie like this. But it seemed to be in the repertoire of concoctors of American cuisine, as evidenced by its presence in the Pie Bible and the websites of Martha Stewart and Smitten Kitchen, three authorities I have arbitrarily designated as all-American. So, definitely worth trying at least once!

It basically tastes like lemon marmalade pudding encased in pie crust. Interesting, right? And it’s super easy to make. The filling is just 2 lemons sliced paper thin, a terrifying amount of sugar (I think this was the most I’ve ever used for a single recipe), and eggs. And the result is a texture-ful, custardy pie that is mostly sweet, sorta sour, and slightly bitter (because of the pith, but I suppose that’s the beauty of any marmalade).

I took this pie to the office, and it disappeared within minutes. The happiest moment for a baker! Someone commented that it tasted like yuzu tea in a pie. At first I was like, oh this is way better than yuzu. But then I thought, yuzu! Brilliant! I think I might try this with yuzu next time, and invent a Korean variation ;)