Shaker pie

by Ed Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 375g plain flour
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 250g cold unsalted butter, diced in 1cm cubes
  • 125ml ice-cold water
  • 550g lemons, scrubbed (3 large)
  • 420g white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • ½ cup Demerara sugar
  • whipped cream, to serve

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture just comes together. Add the water then pulse several more times. Some butter pieces should still be visible. Turn out onto a lightly floured bench and knead lightly, then divide in two, flatten into discs, wrap well, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
2 Zest the lemons using a microplane, then cut off the pith and discard. Using a very sharp knife, slice the lemons paper thin, discarding all seeds. Combine with the zest and white sugar, then set aside for 3 hours.
3 Line a 24cm tart tin with one rolled-out disc of pastry. Stir the eggs into the lemon mixture and pour into the pastry shell. Roll out the remaining pastry disc and place on top, crimping the edges to seal. Brush with yolk and dredge with Demerara sugar, then bake for 40minutes, until deep golden. Allow to cool slightly, then serve slices with whipped cream.