Lemon Curd Pie with Caramel Strands

LEMON CURD PIE WITH CARAMEL STRANDS

Serve 10-12 Pessoas

INGREDIENTS

Pie Crust

• 180 g wheat flour
• 55 g icing sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 115 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, optional

Lemon Curd Filling

• 2 eggs size L + 2 yolks (or 3 whole eggs size L)
• 150 g white or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest
• 120 ml lemon juice (2-3 lemons for zest and juice)
• 2 tbsp. of cream, optional
• 115 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Caramel Strands

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp. water

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparing the Pie Crust

1. In a bowl, blend the butter with the icing sugar and salt until you get a creamy mixture. Add the egg. Finally add all the flour.
2. Work the dough with your hands (or put everything in the food processor and mix) but not too much.
3. Form a disk with the dough, wrap it in cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
4. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, line the pie plate and prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Set aside in the fridge for 15 minutes while the oven heats to 170°C.
5. Cover the crust with baking paper and put dried beans on top so the dough stays down. Bake the crust in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the greaseproof paper and beans and bake for another 10 minutes in the oven at 160°C until golden on the edges.
6. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes on a rack before filling.

Preparing the Lemon Curd Filling

1. Place the juice, lemon zest, eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a pan and heat gently stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or whisk until thickened.
2. Once it starts boiling, let it cook (stirring continuously) for about 3 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and add the diced butter. Blend and leave to cool completely.
4. Fill the pie with the lemon curd and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.

Preparing the Caramel Strands

1. Place a clean rolling pin on the kitchen worktop - so that it hangs halfway over the edge. Hold the other half of the rolling pin with whatever you have on hand.
2. Place the sugar and water in a pan and bring to medium heat.
3. Let the sugar melt and caramelize without stopping stirring (until it has an amber colour). Leave the caramel to cool.
4. As soon as it is almost cold, with the help of a fork, start pulling caramel strands over the rolling pin. Roll up the strands to your liking until you get "caramel nests". If the strands start to break, simply heat the caramel syrup a little and continue to form the caramel strands.
5. Remove the lemon curd pie from the fridge and decorate with the caramel strands. Serve well chilled with the new Adega Mayor single variety wine, Adega Mayor Viosinho.