Lemon Cream Pie with Raspberry Beer Sauce

I am the cook, baker and treat maker in my family.  That’s not to say that there aren’t others who enjoy making sweets from time to time, but I’m the one who finds the baking and mixing process theraputic.  Other’s trudge through the baking process in order to get to the reward, the baked sweet stuff.  So when birthdays role around I’m typically the one that bakes the cake, or in my brother’s case the pie.  A few years ago my brother had two requests when his birthday roled around, he requested a raspberry cream cheese pie and a peanut butter pie.  While he enjoyed them both, in the end the peanut butter pie won and became his signature birthday dessert.

Don’t feel bad for the raspberry cream cheese pie though, because as much as my brother enjoyed the peanut butter pie, my sister-in-law felt the same way about the raspberry one.  The raspberry cream cheese pie is now her signature dessert of choice when her birthday, or any other occasion roles around.  So this year, when her birthday started creeping up I already knew the raspberry cream cheese pie would be requested during her birthday gathering.  Simple and easy, right?

Well, it would have been until I came across this recipe from the Beeroness.  The title caught my attention first, quickly followed by the picture of the pie.  This was a recipe for a lemon cream pie with raspberry beer sauce.  From the instant I saw it I thought of my sister-in-laws love for her signature pie along with her love for a delicious brew.  This pie seemed like a no-brainer.  When I saw this I quickly sent the recipe to her and my brother wanting to know their thoughts.  They were interested, intrigued and thought that we must try this!

We were not disappointed.  This pie differs from others I’ve made because it calls for beer.  Not only does this recipe call for beer in the raspberry sauce, but it’s also required in the actual pastry dough.  Although the beer could be omitted from the pastry, it lends so much flavor without being too “beer-y” that even the non-beer lovers will enjoy it.  Trust me, I know!  I tested it out on a person who cannot stand beer and he loved it, he’s also using it as his “go to” pie crust recipe.  So if this crust has him ditching his long-time go to recipe, then I promise you’ll love it. 

The crust is chilled, baked and allowed to cool completely before being filled with the delicious filling.  Speaking of the filling, let’s talk about that a minute.  This filling is comprised of one of my all-time-favorite things, lemon curd.  I grew up eating this stuff, and not just in tarts or various other desserts, but out of the jar and by the spoonful.  But not just any lemon curd, the homemade kind, the kind that was homemade by my grandma.  It’s slightly sweet and extra tangy.  My favorite!  She created a monster, and she also kind of created a lemon curd snob!  That tart lemon curd is cooled then folded into fresh whipped cream to create a light and creamy lemon filling.  On top of that creamy lemon filling is a raspberry beer sauce.  It’s simply raspberries, sugar, cornstarch and beer that are simmered and allowed to reduce to create a thick sauce to spread over the top.

This pie is incredible.  When you look at it, the colors just scream summer; subtle yellow and a deep, rich ruby red color.  It tastes just as good as it looks.  It’s a light and tart dessert, perfect for a summer day.  However, if you’re not a tart lover then I would recommend serving the raspberry sauce on the side rather than spread over the top.  However you decide to enjoy this pie, just make sure you make it!     

Lemon Cream Pie with Raspberry Beer Sauce

Ingredients:

For the crust-
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter, cold and cut in cubes
1/4 Cup IPA Beer (I used Blue Moon)

For the Lemon Cream Filling-
2 Tbsp lemon zest
3/4 Cup lemon juice
2 tbsp corn starch
5 Egg yolks
2/3 Cup sugar
5 Tbsp butter
2/3 Cup heavy cream

Raspberry Beer Sauce-
12 Oz raspberries, fresh or frozen
1 Cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 Cup IPA Beer (I used Blue Moon)

Directions:

For the crust-
Place 1 cup flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse to mix.  Add the cubed butter and process until well combined.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour and pulse until well incorporated. 

Transfer the dough to a bowl and add the beer.  Gently mix until completely combined.  The dough will be very soft.  Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, place in refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours. 

For the Filling-
Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, cornstarch, egg yolks, and sugar in a saucepan.  Whisk to combine.  Add the cubed butter and place pan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 12 minutes.  Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap, chill until just under room temperature, about one hour.

To bake-
Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly flour a clean working surface.  Turn the chilled dough onto the prepared surface and roll out to fit a 9 inch pie plate.  Press the dough into the pan, trim off any excess dough.  Using a fork, prick the bottome of sides of the dough several times.  Line with a sheet of parchment paper and fill the pie with baking weights or dried beans. 

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, until crust is golden brown.  Remove the baked crust from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.  Remove the pie weights or beans.

Pour the heavy cream into a large mixing bowl and whip/beat on high until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.  Add the cooled lemon curd, 1/2 cup at a time, and gently fold into the whipped cream.  Once all of the lemon curd has been incorporated into the whipped cream, pour into the cooled crust.  Place in the refrigerator and chill until set, about 1 hour.

For the raspberry beer sauce-
Place a large saucepan over medium high heat and add the raspberries, powdered sugar, cornstarch and beer, stir to combine.  Stir the mixture frequently until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove the mixture from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  Once the mixture has cooled, pour over the chilled lemon cream layer.  Return to the refrigerator and chill for an additional hour.  Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Recipe source: The Beeroness