Ingredients
- 1 vanilla wafer pie crust (9 1/2-inch deep dish)
- Filling:
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 2⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup cold whipping cream
- 1⁄3 cup powdered sugar , sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish:
- powdered sugar
Directions
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Prebake vanilla wafer crust and let cool as directed; refrigerate until ready to use.
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Place enough water in the bottom of a double boiler to reach almost to the bottom of the insert; bring water to an active simmer.
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Place the egg and egg yolks in the top of the double boiler and immediately start to whisk, gradually adding the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
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With the water at an active simmer, continue to whisk until the mixture is noticeably thicker, 12-14 minutes (it should be thick enough that when you stick a teaspoon in it and blow on the spoon for several seconds, the mixture pretty much stays on the spoon when you turn it upside down).
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Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, adding each piece only after the previous one has melted.
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After the last piece of butter has melted, continue to whisk and cook for 1 minute.
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Scrape the curd into a medium bowl; press a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface so the curd doesn’t form a skin; let cool to room temperature, the refrigerate for 2 hours.
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At least 2 hours before serving, make the topping: using a chilled bowl and chilled beaters, beat the cream with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks.
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Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until stiff but not grainy (do not overbeat).
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Spoon 2/3 of the lemon curd into the cream and beat on low speed just until uniformly mixed.
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Spread the remaining 1/3 lemon curd evenly in the chilled pie shell and slightly up the sides.
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Spoon the lemon whipped cream over the curd, spreading it evenly.
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Cover the pie with loosely tented foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
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Dust the top of the pie generously with the powdered sugar and serve.