Straight from the South, but finding its home in your kitchen, this Lemon Buttermilk Chess Pie is all kinds of tasty for your family. A fresh and delicious taste that is perfect for spring, you absolutely need to share a slice – especially since it’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D when you’re baking with Mirage margarine.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Chilling Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
For the crust
- 151 g / 2/3 cup Mirage margarine
- 250 g / 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 12 g / 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 g / 1/4 tsp salt
- 60 ml / 1/4 cup ice water
For the filling
- 200 g / 1 cup granulated sugar
- 163 g / 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 40 g / 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 16 g / 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 14 g / 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 g / 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 large eggs
- 120 ml / 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 114 g / 1/2 cup Mirage margarine, melted
- 60 ml / 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 5 ml / 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
For the crust
1. Scoop roughly 1/2 inch (1 centimetre) pieces of Mirage margarine onto a plate lined with a piece of plastic wrap. Freeze; 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
3. Using a pastry blender, or 2 knives, blend the Mirage margarine into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the texture of coarse crumbs (mixed with pea-sized pieces).
4. Using a fork, stir in the ice water 1 tablespoon (15 millilitres) at a time. Gather dough into a ball and knead a couple of times. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill; 30 minutes.
5. In between 2 sheets of parchment paper, or plastic wrap, roll the dough into a 14 inch (36 centimetre) circle.
6. Ease the rolled dough into a 9 inch (23 centimetre) pie plate and flute the edges, as desired. Prick the bottom of the dough all over, with a fork, and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
For the filling
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornmeal, flour, lemon zest and salt.Whisk in the eggs one at a time until smooth.
2. Whisk in the buttermilk, Mirage margarine, lemon juice and vanilla extract until fully combined.
3. Whisk in the buttermilk, Mirage margarine, lemon juice and vanilla extract until fully combined.
4. Set aside while par-baking the crust.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line the chilled pie crust with a piece of foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
6. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil and weights and return crust to oven for 4 minutes.
7. Remove crust and reduce oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
8. Pour the filling into the crust and place in the oven; bake 30 minutes.
9. Cover edge of crust with a strip of tin foil to prevent over browning and bake until centre of filling is softly set (with a slight jiggle); 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Remove and cool pie completely on a wire rack. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Chef’s Notes
- 1/2 cup (240 millilitres) of whole milk combined with 2 teaspoons (10 millilitres) of white vinegar may be used in place of the buttermilk.
