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Lemon Chess Pie - slice of pie with whipped cream on top

Deep Dish Lemon Chess Pie

Hannah Eaton
A rich, tangy lemon filling that is perfectly smooth, yet gooey (almost like a lemon bar!), baked inside a perfectly crispy, flaky pie crust. Perfect for warm-weather baking!
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Inactive time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 8

Equipment

  • 10 Inch Pie Pan
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Whisk
  • Rolling Pin
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust:

  • 1 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/3 cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 TBSP White Vinegar
  • Iced Water as needed

Lemon Filling:

  • 3 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • 10 Whole Eggs
  • 2/3 cup Lemon Juice fresh or from concentrate
  • 2/3 cup Melted Butter

Instructions
 

To Make the Pie Crust:

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  • In a 1 cup measuring cup, add water, a few cubes of ice, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. NOTE: You will not use all of the water. Set aside until you are ready to add.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt and stir to combine.
  • Next, add your shortening and, using your hands, begin mixing the shortening into the dough. (To do this, you can pinch the shortening into the flour with your fingers until the ingredients begin to combine, occasionally rubbing the flour and shortening between your hands and letting it fall back into the bowl.) Mix until the flour and shortening have combined to create a sandy texture with a few pea-sized lumps of shortening remaining intact throughout the mixture.
  • Once you have achieved the proper texture, you can begin adding your liquids. Do not add them all at one time, but begin with 2-3 tablespoons, mixing as you go.
  • Add more water as needed, in small amounts, until a shaggy dough begins to come together and can hold its shape when pressed into a ball and rolled out. It is very important that you do not add too much water, as this will cause your dough to become tough.
  • Once you have added as much water as you need, shape your dough into a loose ball and set aside.
  • Dust the surface of your counter generously with flour, and, taking your ball of dough, begin patting it out with your hands onto the floured surface into a small disk shape.
  • Once you have created your disk, using a well-floured rolling pin, begin rolling out your dough into a circle shape, making sure it stays at an even thickness all the way around. If cracks begin to form, lightly press them back together. Roll your dough until it reaches 1/4 inch thickness.
  • Once your dough has been rolled, gently fold it in half and place it into a deep 9-10 inch pie pan. Using either a piece of parchment and pie weights, or a piece of aluminum foil, weigh down your pie crust and place it into your preheated oven for bake for 12-15 minutes.
  • When the pie crust is partially baked (not fully golden brown), remove it from the oven and set it aside to make your filling. Drop your oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

To Make the Filling and Bake:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, add in your sugar, flour, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
  • To your dry ingredients, add in all 10 of your eggs and whisk well until the eggs have been fully incorporated.
  • Next, add in your lemon juice and melted butter, and stir to combine.
  • Pour your filling mixture into your par-baked crust and place your pie into the oven to bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the filling has gotten golden brown and puffy, with a slight wobble to it.
  • Remove your baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for 1 hour before transferring it to the fridge to finish chilling for 3 hours.
  • Once chilled, slice, serve, and enjoy!
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