gluten free lemon sponge pie
Nov. 4th, 2017 09:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ironymaidenI went to a pie party today, and I was hungry for a lemon sponge, so I made one.
lemon sponge is a single-crusted pie with a variant custard filling - it gets its texture (puddingy on the bottom, spongy on the top) from egg whites folded into the filling mixture. I had never made one before today, but they were enough of a fixture of my childhood that I assumed the recipe was in my Farm Journal pie cookbook. no dice. apparently this is a regional dish from the mid-Atlantic states? the internet provided before I broke down and called mom.
recipe based on the Washington Post version.
FOR THE CRUST
1 9-inch gf pie crust from the serious eats recipe * note: this MUST chill for two hours before baking.
FOR THE FILLING
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, well beaten, plus 2 large egg whites, beaten until stiff
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 capfuls lemon extract (I had wussy lemons today, YMMV)
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
For the filling: Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld mixer; beat on medium-low speed, until well incorporated and a little fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
On low speed, add the egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, beating until well combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl. The mixture may look a bit curdled; this is okay. Add all but a few spoonfuls of the milk, then blend the tapioca flour into the remaining milk with a fork and add that and sprinkle in the salt; beat on low speed just until well incorporated.
Gently fold in half the beaten egg whites, being careful not to deflate them; once any signs of white have disappeared, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
When ready to bake, place the pie pan with the crust on a baking sheet. Use a fork to poke a few sets of holes in the bottom of the pie dough crust.
Pour the filling into the pie shell; transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake (middle rack) for about 1 hour; the filling will be set with a few nicely browned spots, and the crust will be just lightly golden. I had to keep adding time at five minute intervals to get a proper set. (I've seen some anemic pictures online, they're wrong. it should definitely change color from the raw mixture.)
Let it sit for 30 minutes before serving. pull the hot cookie sheet with the pie plate on it out of the oven and put it on a towel so it doesn't burn you while it sits on your lap in the car on the way to the party.
I think the texture is best when it is completely cool but people liked the warm middle, so what do I know?
*i have always used brown rice flour instead of white, and it turns out great. that crust is stupid good.
lemon sponge is a single-crusted pie with a variant custard filling - it gets its texture (puddingy on the bottom, spongy on the top) from egg whites folded into the filling mixture. I had never made one before today, but they were enough of a fixture of my childhood that I assumed the recipe was in my Farm Journal pie cookbook. no dice. apparently this is a regional dish from the mid-Atlantic states? the internet provided before I broke down and called mom.
recipe based on the Washington Post version.
FOR THE CRUST
1 9-inch gf pie crust from the serious eats recipe * note: this MUST chill for two hours before baking.
FOR THE FILLING
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
2 large egg yolks, well beaten, plus 2 large egg whites, beaten until stiff
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 capfuls lemon extract (I had wussy lemons today, YMMV)
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
For the filling: Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld mixer; beat on medium-low speed, until well incorporated and a little fluffy. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
On low speed, add the egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, beating until well combined. Stop to scrape down the bowl. The mixture may look a bit curdled; this is okay. Add all but a few spoonfuls of the milk, then blend the tapioca flour into the remaining milk with a fork and add that and sprinkle in the salt; beat on low speed just until well incorporated.
Gently fold in half the beaten egg whites, being careful not to deflate them; once any signs of white have disappeared, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
When ready to bake, place the pie pan with the crust on a baking sheet. Use a fork to poke a few sets of holes in the bottom of the pie dough crust.
Pour the filling into the pie shell; transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake (middle rack) for about 1 hour; the filling will be set with a few nicely browned spots, and the crust will be just lightly golden. I had to keep adding time at five minute intervals to get a proper set. (I've seen some anemic pictures online, they're wrong. it should definitely change color from the raw mixture.)
I think the texture is best when it is completely cool but people liked the warm middle, so what do I know?
*i have always used brown rice flour instead of white, and it turns out great. that crust is stupid good.
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Date: 2017-11-05 06:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 12:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 02:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-11-05 04:52 pm (UTC)It was delicious, that's for sure. :)