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Baking Expert
Catherine Christiansen
Shaker Lemon Pie
While the ingredients in Shaker Pie are simple, the resulting flavor is anything but. Somewhere between marmalade and lemon curd, the tangy-sweet lemony filling is perfectly offset by flaky, sparkling crust.
The pie comes from the recipe files of the Shakers, a religious group that came to the US is the late 1700’s from England. They evolved from the Quakers and were called the Shaking Quakers since they tended to shimmy unrestrainedly during worship.
The Shakers were also famous for their craftsmanship, as well as their lemon pie. One of their adages, “Use the best ingredients, because it would be a waste of time not to do so.” They also believe in pursuing perfection and continuously confessing their sins, but I’m sticking with the one about using the best ingredients, for pie purposes.
The key is to slice the lemons as thinly as possible, and while the Shakers might advocate lots of patience and a sharp, sharp knife, I opt for a good mandoline. Slice them so thin that you can hold one up to you eye and see right through the lemony monacle. Ditch the bitter seeds, and let all the pretty slices rest in the sugar for at least 24 hours, until they are almost candied and have shed most of their bitterness.
Add the eggs, maybe a couple tablespoons of butter if you like a bit of richness, cover with crust, add some sugar sparkle and bake. As warm, citrusy, buttery smells fill your kitchen, put on some good music and shimmy all you want.
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