The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

by Rachel Linden

LOLLY’S LEMON DROP PIE Lolly’s Lemon Drop Pie is silky smooth, surprisingly rich, and deliciously sweet and tart! A fresh twist on lemon meringue pie to brighten your day. CRUST 1 piecrust (store bought or homemade, as you prefer) FILLING 2 Meyer lemons (larger is better than smaller if you want a rich lemony flavor) 2 eggs 4 egg yolks 7 tablespoons granulated sugar 7 tablespoons good quality European butter (if unsalted, add ⅛ teaspoon salt with the butter) 1 lemon drop hard candy MERINGUE 4 egg whites ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ⅓ cup granulated sugar A dash of salt PIE CRUST PREPARATION Blind bake the piecrust for about 15-20 minutes at 375°F, or if you are using a store-bought crust, simply follow instructions on package. Prick shell bottom with a fork before baking. If you are using beans or pie weights to keep your piecrust bottom from bubbling up, remove them halfway through blind baking so the bottom can bake some. Set piecrust aside and turn down oven to 350°F. TO MAKE THE FILLING Grate the zest from both lemons into a small bowl. Squeeze the juice from both lemons into the bowl and stir. In a heavy saucepan beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until mixed. Add lemon juice and butter. Add the lemon drop candy. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat your stirring utensil. It will look almost like pudding. Remove from heat and let stand for 5–10 minutes. Stir a few times until it is fairly smooth again. Fill prepar...