I remember early on in my marriage a friend of mine shared this simple recipe with me, and I couldn’t believe how delicious it was for the little amount of work it required. There’s something about the blend of a graham cracker crust, lemon filling, and fresh whipped cream that makes for a perfect dessert. Plus, it’s really beautiful! —Jo
**Lemon Pie
Prep: 20 minutes
Cool: 1 1⁄2 hours
Ingredients
**Lemon Pie
1 1⁄2 cups crushed graham crackers (from about 27 squares)
1⁄3 cup sugar
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
2⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
Pinch of sea salt
**Whipped Cream Topping
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
**Garnish
Grated lemon zest
Mint sprigs
Instructions
- To make the lemon pie: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers and 1∕3 cup of the sugar and stir to blend. Stir in the melted butter until well blended. Press the cracker mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie plate. Bake until firm, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer), beat the condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt on medium speed for 4 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust. Return to the oven and bake until the center is set when the pan is gently nudged, about 10 minutes.
- Cool the pie on a rack for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator until set, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
- Just before serving, make the whipped cream topping: In a medium bowl, with a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla on high speed until fluffy and the cream holds a soft peak when you pull the beater out of the bowl.
- Spread the cream on the cooled pie. Garnish with fresh lemon slices, a sprinkle of lemon zest, and mint sprigs.
Makes 8 servings
