Lemon Macaroon Pie
Submitted by Lyndy
Lemon macaroon pie with coconut, fresh lemon juice, and almond extract in a from-scratch butter crust. Topped with vanilla whipped cream and lemon slices.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
60 minREADY
6 hrsA from-scratch lemon pie that crosses a lemon curd filling with a macaroon. Sweetened coconut, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a whisper of almond extract get beaten into eggs and cream, then baked in a blind-baked butter crust until golden and set.
The crust uses a smart blend of all-purpose and cake flour. Cake flour’s lower protein content makes the pastry more tender and shorter, while the all-purpose flour provides enough structure to hold up under a heavy filling. Chilled butter and shortening together give you the best of both worlds: flaky layers from the butter and a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture from the shortening.
Blind baking with pie weights (or dried beans) for 20 minutes before filling prevents the dreaded soggy bottom. The crust needs to be fully set and cooled before the wet filling goes in.
The almond extract is easy to miss in the ingredients but plays a significant role. Just half a teaspoon deepens the coconut flavor and adds a rounded, bakery-quality warmth that straight lemon and coconut alone don’t achieve.
Pro Tips
- Freeze the shaped crust 15 minutes before blind baking. This firms the butter and prevents the sides from slumping.
- Beat the filling until thick and fluffy. About a minute of beating incorporates air that keeps the texture light rather than dense.
- Chill at least 3 hours before serving. The filling needs to set completely or it slices into a gooey mess.
- Pipe the whipped cream border just before serving. It softens quickly once on the chilled pie.
Variations
- Toasted coconut top: Sprinkle extra coconut over the filling before baking for a golden, crunchy macaroon crust on top.
- Lime macaroon pie: Swap lemon juice and zest for lime for a tropical twist with the same coconut-almond base.
Ingredients
Directions
Crust: Mix flour, cake flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and salt in processor.
Add chilled butter and shortening and cut in, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add 3 tablespoons ice water and process until moist clumps form.
If dough is too dry, add more water by teaspoonfuls.
Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
(Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Butter 9-inch- diameter glass pie dish.
Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface to 12-inch round.
Transfer to prepared dish.
Trim crust edge, leaving ½-inch overhang.
Decoratively crimp overhang.
Freeze 15 minutes.
Line crust with foil.
Fill with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake until crust is set and rim is pale golden, about 20 minutes.
Remove foil and beans.
Cool completely.
Maintain oven temperature.
Filling: Using electric mixer, beat eggs, egg yolks and salt in large bowl to blend.
Add 1 and ¼ cups sugar and beat until mixture is thick and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Beat in coconut, ¼ cup chilled whipping cream, lemon juice, melted butter, lemon peel, 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla and almond extract.
Pour filling into crust.
Bake until filling is golden and set, about 40 minutes.
Cool on rack.
Refrigerate until well chilled, about 3 hours.
(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Beat remaining ¾ cup cream, powdered sugar and remaining ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract in large bowl until stiff peaks form.
Pipe whipped cream around border of pie.
Garnish with lemon slices and serve.
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