Lemon Truffle Pie
This pie has all the elements that I love in a dessert. First of all, lemon, which might just beat out chocolate for me if I really have to choose. A lovely, creamy layer, (with lemon–even better!), and real whipped cream to top it all off!
You’ll have to blind-bake a 9 inch deep dish pie crust before you start. You can learn how with the Pie Crust Tutorial. You’ll need a deep-dish pie pan to accommodate all the lemon lusciousness.
1 (9 inch) pre-baked deep dish pie crust
6 oz. white chocolate
8 oz. cream cheese–softened
1 1/2 cups heavy cream–whipped and very lightly sweetened (should equal about 3 cups whipped cream)
3 cups lemon curd:
8 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons modified food starch such as Thick Gel or Clear Gel
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (microwave 2–3 large lemons for 30 seconds each–you’ll get a lot more juice from each lemon)
zest from 2–3 lemons
4 tablespoons butter
In a non-aliminum, non-reactive pan, blend the egg yolks with the Thick Gel and granulated sugar. Place over low heat and slowly whisk in the water and lemon juice.
On medium heat, stir mixture constantly until it barely begins to boil. Let boil for 1 minute, stirring well to keep the bottom from scorching.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon zest and butter. Stir well. Strain through a seive if needed to remove any bits of cooked egg.
Put all but 1 cup of the curd into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Push the plastic wrap down onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Place into fridge until needed.
Take the reserved 1 cup of lemon curd in it’s original pan and add the white chocolate. Set on stove on medium-low and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
Whip 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and set aside. Save the remaining 1 cup cream for the topping.
Beat the softened cream cheese in a stand mixer until fluffy. Add the cooled lemon curd/chocolate mixture and continue mixing until well incorporated. Slowly fold in the reserved 1 cup whipping cream until well incorporated.
Spread this mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9 inch, deep-dish pie crust. Even out the top.
Add the remaining 2 cups lemon curd and spread out evenly.
Let set at least three hours in the refrigerator with plastic wrap set onto the surface to keep a skin from forming on the curd.
Just before serving, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and top the pie. The pie in these photos was topped with a thin layer of whipped cream, and then decorated with cream using a decorators bag and a 2D tip. Start with a center swirl, and then fill in around it with more swirls out to the edge.
Ingredients
- 1 (9 inch) pre-baked deep dish pie crust
- 6 oz. white chocolate
- 8 oz. cream cheese–softened
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream–whipped and very lightly sweetened (should equal about 3 cups whipped cream)
- 8 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons modified food starch such as Thick Gel or Clear Gel
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (microwave 2–3 large lemons for 30 seconds each–you’ll get a lot more juice from each lemon)
- zest from 2–3 lemons
- 4 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- In a non-aliminum, non-reactive pan, blend the egg yolks with the Thick Gel and granulated sugar. Place over low heat and slowly whisk in the water and lemon juice.
- On medium heat, stir mixture constantly until it barely begins to boil. Let boil for 1 minute, stirring well to keep the bottom from scorching.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon zest and butter. Stir well. Run curd through a seive if needed to remove any bits of cooked eggs.
- Put all but 1 cup of the curd into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Push the plastic wrap down onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Place into fridge until needed.
- Take the reserved 1 cup of lemon curd in it’s original pan and add the white chocolate. Set on stove on medium-low and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
- Whip 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and set aside. Save the remaining 1 cup cream for the topping.
- Beat the softened cream cheese in a stand mixer until fluffy. Add the cooled lemon curd/chocolate mixture and continue mixing until well incorporated. Slowly fold in the reserved 1 cup whipping cream until well incorporated.
- Spread this mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9 inch, deep-dish pie crust. Even out the top.
- Add the remaining 2 cups lemon curd and spread out evenly.
- Let set at least three hours in the refrigerator with plastic wrap set onto the surface to keep a skin from forming on the curd.
- Just before serving, whip the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and top the pie. The pie in these photos was topped with a thin layer of whipped cream, and then decorated with cream using a decorators bag and a 2D tip. Start with a center swirl, and then fill in around it with more swirls out to the edge.
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Such a beautiful pie! I love the design on top :). It looks so delicious and fresh; a great change from the heavier pies on Thanksgiving!
it’s like… you read my mind.
Oh my goodness, that looks SO tasty! My mouth is watering just thinking about the lemony goodness. And it’s so pretty!
More than the taste, your pie looks so pretty too. Which is I must say added plus points to your dessert because the eyes can judge faster than the tongue can. I know I won’t be disappointed in the taste department, just reading out the procedures makes me so excited. Will try this lemon truffle pie. Thanks for the post!
OK, so I just thought the Pom. Pie was the one I needed. Please oh please, for the love of all things holy, save me a piece the next time you make this pie. I’ll be willing to trade a number of services. (Though, I won’t mention them here, seeing as this is a family friendly site.)
I am so happy to have found this recipe! I love lemon, but I really do not enjoy lemon meringue pies. This will happily take its place on our table! I am making it now!
I’m making this for Christmas! My one aunt loves lemon pie, and I couldn’t resist an excuse to make lemon curd and mix it with chocolate! I thought you might want to know. Thanks for posting.
Hi Tammy:
Nisha again! I can’t find modified food starch. Can I use corn starch in some way?
Nisha
Hi Tammy!
I can’t find modified food starch, can I use corn starch? And if so how much?
Thanks,
Nisha
Nisha–
Cornstarch can be used in place of modified food starch. How much is a trickier question. I got better results with less Modified food starch, so I would guess that you would need a bit more cornstarch. For me, I would err on the side of runnier because I don’t like the consistency cornstarch gives when too much is used. Maybe try 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch to begin.
Hope this helps!
That looks amazing, gotta try it!
Let us know how it works for you. It’s one of my very favorites!
I made this over a year ago for the first time, and it is now a favorite of the entire family and every guest we serve it to. I’m so happy to have an alternative to lemon meringue! Thanks for this recipe! I’m making it again this week!
Yay! I am so happy you loved it. It’s a family favorite of our also!
Hmm…now that I think of it (and I do often — it’s THAT good!)…it wasn’t over a year at all. I guess it feels like we’ve been friends with this pie for much, much longer. ;)