Lemon Cream Pie (Reduced Sugar)
By America's Test KitchenPublished on April 18, 2020
Time
1¼ hours, plus 2½ hours cooling
Yield
Serves 8
Sugar
23 grams (down from 64)
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
9 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and softenedFilling
2 large eggs plus 7 large yolks½ cup honey ¼ cup grated lemon zest plus ⅔ cup juice (4 lemons)⅛ teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces3 tablespoons heavy creamTopping
1½ cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla ⅛ teaspoon saltBefore You Begin
You can learn more about Sucanat in this article. Tightly packing the crumbs ensured perfectly clean slices every time. We don’t recommend using store-bought graham cracker crumbs here, as they can often be stale.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Process graham crackers in food processor to fine, even crumbs, 30 to 60 seconds. Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand, 15 to 20 pulses.
- Sprinkle mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crumbs firmly into even layer on bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake until crust is fragrant and set, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating plate halfway through baking. Let crust cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Whisk eggs and yolks, honey, lemon zest and juice, and salt in medium saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, until mixture thickens slightly and registers 165 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk in butter and cream until incorporated. Strain filling through fine-mesh strainer into cooled pie crust. Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let pie cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, honey, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped cream over pie and serve.
for the graham cracker crust
for the filling
for the topping
Time
1¼ hours, plus 2½ hours coolingYield
Serves 8Sugar
23 grams (down from 64)Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
Filling
Topping
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
Filling
Topping
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
Filling
Topping
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We started with the curd. Our original recipe relied on sweetened condensed milk to sweeten the curd and achieve a thick, decadent consistency. But for our low-sugar version, we created a more traditional cooked curd, using a combination of two whole eggs and seven egg yolks to achieve a creamy, dense texture. We used a hefty amount of lemon zest and juice and balanced the sharp tanginess with honey. To ensure a perfectly smooth texture, we strained the curd before stirring in heavy cream, which tempered the tartness that additional sugar would usually tame. Once the curd was complete, we poured it into our graham cracker crust and baked it. For a lightly sweet and flavorful whipped cream topping, we quickly whipped heavy cream with honey, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer until soft peaks formed and then slathered it over the top of the cooled pie.
Before You Begin
You can learn more about Sucanat in this article. Tightly packing the crumbs ensured perfectly clean slices every time. We don’t recommend using store-bought graham cracker crumbs here, as they can often be stale.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Process graham crackers in food processor to fine, even crumbs, 30 to 60 seconds. Scatter butter over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand, 15 to 20 pulses.
- Sprinkle mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Using bottom of measuring cup, press crumbs firmly into even layer on bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake until crust is fragrant and set, 20 to 22 minutes, rotating plate halfway through baking. Let crust cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. Whisk eggs and yolks, honey, lemon zest and juice, and salt in medium saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with rubber spatula, until mixture thickens slightly and registers 165 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Off heat, whisk in butter and cream until incorporated. Strain filling through fine-mesh strainer into cooled pie crust. Bake until filling is shiny and opaque and center jiggles slightly when shaken, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let pie cool completely, about 2 hours.
- Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip cream, honey, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spread whipped cream over pie and serve.
for the graham cracker crust
for the filling
for the topping
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