Meyer Lemon Chess Pie and My First Crop

by Dorothy Reinhold on January 8, 2012


Print This Post Print This Post Meyer Lemon Chess Pie on Shockingly Delicious

My love affair with Meyer lemons continues! This merits an exclamation point because we lemon lovers wait impatiently for the Meyer lemon crop, and when it arrives (in winter in Southern California), we rejoice.

Last year, tired of cadging Meyers from my neighbors, I planted a dwarf tree in a whiskey barrel.

Meyer lemon tree loaded with fruit

Leaves are a little sketchy (chlorotic?). Don't judge! Focus on the fruit.

Look at my first crop! (Again with the exclamation point, which you will understand if you are lucky enough to have a fruit tree in your yard.)

I vote for Meyer lemon season to be a bona fide holiday.

I’ve shared the Best Homemade Lemonade, a unique Basil Margarita, easy Lemon Curd, Agua Fresca Watermelon Lemonade, Strawberry Basil Lemonade, and a refreshing Lemony White Bean, Tuna and Celery Salad, all sporting Meyers.

This time my affection is expressed by a wonderful Meyer Lemon Chess Pie, fragrant with the heady Meyer perfume — an intoxicating mix of lemon, mandarin and lime — sweet and tangy, creamy and comforting.

Close your eyes when you eat this one.

Meyer Lemon Chess Pie with a piece gone

Recipe: Meyer Lemon Chess Pie

Summary: Fragrant with the heady aroma of Meyer lemons, this sweet and tangy comforting pie is a lemon-lover’s delight! Lemon Chess Pie is an American classic, and this is an outstanding version. 

Ingredients

  • Meyer lemons on a cakestand1 9-inch prepared pie shell
  • 1 tablespoon cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons grated zest (from 2 Meyer lemons)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup half and half (or milk)
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons or half a stick) melted butter
  • 1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar and grated zest. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg.
  3. Add half and half, butter and lemon juice and stir well. Mixture will appear to thicken slightly.
  4. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake on bottom shelf of oven (so it is closer to the heating element) for 35-40 minutes. Center will be slightly jiggly when it is done.
  5. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
  6. Serves 8.

Quick notes

Meyer lemon hanging on treeYou may substitute regular lemons instead of Meyer lemons. You may have to increase the sugar a bit.

Variations

Serve piled high with fresh raspberries or fresh blueberries in season.

Source

This recipe is a mashup of about 6 or 7 recipes I consulted on the Internet, in cookbooks, etc.

Preparation time: 8 minute(s)
Cooking time: 45 minute(s)
Diet type: Vegetarian
Number of servings (yield): 8
Culinary tradition: USA (Traditional)
My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review(s)

Meyer Lemon Chess Pie

Tagged as: butter, chess pie, cornmeal, dessert, half and half, lemon chess pie, lemon juice, lemon pie, lemon zest, Meyer lemon, Meyer lemons, Pie

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