Lemon Pie with Cranberry Coulis and Limoncello Cream

(Makes one 9- or 10-inch pie)

Crust:
8 ounces (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
5 ounces (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, chilled
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
4 – 5 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
5 large egg yolks
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (low-fat variety is OK)
½ cup/4 ounces lemon juice
Zest from one lemon

Cranberry Coulis:
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1 cup water
2 ¼ teaspoons finely grated orange peel
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Limoncello Cream:
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
½ 8-ounce container mascarpone
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons limoncello (lemon liqueur)



To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add the butter and mix just until but butter and flour is combined and becomes crumbly, approximately 13 seconds. Next, through the processor’s feed tube, add the lemon juice. With the processor running, slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a smooth, pliable ball, no more than 30 to 40 seconds.

After the dough is combined, form it into a round disk and wrap in plastic and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. (You don’t want the dough to get too warm or soft before rolling it out, but it’s easier to handle if the dough isn’t dead cold out of the fridge.)

On a lightly floured pastry sheet or board, hit the dough a couple times with a rolling pin to make it a little more pliable. Then, roll out the dough from the center, turning it a quarter turn each time, until it’s approximately 12 inches in diameter. Carefully, fold the dough in half and place it on one half of a 9- to 10-inch pie plate. Unfold the other half and press the dough into and up the sides of the plate. Trim any excessive dough that hangs over the edge of the plate, fold it under and then flute or crimp the edge, as you like.

Place the pie shell in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Then, place the pie shell on a sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside.

To make the filling: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add lemon juice and whisk until combined. Then, with a rubber spatula, stir the lemon zest into the filling.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust and put the pie back into the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool some before storing in the refrigerator.

To make the cranberry coulis: Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a heavy medium-size saucepan, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until most of the cranberries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill until set. (The sauce is best made a day ahead.)

This recipe will make more cranberry sauce than you need. But it keeps well for at least a couple weeks, so you can use the remaining sauce to fill thumbprint cookies or serve with pork or roast chicken.

To make limoncello cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, mascarpone, 2 tablespoons sugar, and limoncello and whip until soft peaks form.

To serve: Give some of the cranberry sauce a couple pulses in a food processor or blender, making the sauce as smooth as you like or leaving it a little chunky. Spread a little of the cranberry coulis on plate. Rest a slice of pie on top of but slightly to the side of the sauce. Then drop a dollop of limoncello cream on top of the pie. Or, if you want to get fancy, use a pastry bag and pipe the cream onto the pie. Dig in!