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–+ servings

Clear Pie Recipe for Pi Day Fun

The Starving Chef
Discover the fun of baking with this clear pie recipe, perfect for a visually stunning Pi Day dessert.
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Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
10 hours
Total Time 12 hours 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Pie
Servings 1 pie

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For Pie Crust:

  • 350 g flour
  • 8 tablespoons butter very cold, chopped
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg + water whisked

For Meringues:

For Lemon Filling:

  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 packets gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons citric acid
  • 1 lemon juiced & strained (can sub in lime or any comparable citrus flavor)

Instructions
 

For Pie Crusts

  • Use a food processor to pulse together the butter and flour. Add the sugar, salt, and egg. Pulse again to combine. Then, with the food processor running on medium speed, slowly pour in the water. Pulse until a dough ball just starts to come together.
  • Tip the dough out onto a flour-dusted surface. Cover and rest the dough ball for 30 minutes.
  • After the dough has rested, roll it out into a circle until the dough is an even thickness (about 1/8th inch thick).
  • Drape the crust over the pie pan. Do not press the dough into the edges but rather let it slump into the pan naturally (pressing will cause the crust to shrink). Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork, then chill until ready to fill.
  • Blind bake the pie crusts: line the pan with parchment and add baking weights (or rice, lentils, etc.) to blind bake for 10 minutes. Then remove the weights, brush with egg wash, and finish baking the crust for 5-8 more minutes. The crust can be made up to 4 days in advance.

For the Meringues:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Slowly pour in the sugar in a continuous stream while whipping. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form and the sugar is dissolved.
  • Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with your desired tip shape. Pipe out 10-20 meringues in similar shapes and sizes.
  • Bake the meringues for 90 minutes - do not open the oven door. When finished, turn off the heat but keep the door closed until cooled completely.
  • Once cooled, gently peel the meringues off the parchment and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in advance.

For the Pie Filling:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water with the gelatin packets. Allow the gelatin to bloom for 5-10 minutes.
  • In a large pot over medium-high heat, whisk together the water and sugar. Heat until the sugar is just dissolved and the liquid is steaming. Add the bloomed gelatin to the pot. Stir to combine and melt the gelatin. If the gelatin doesn't melt right away, increase the heat until it melts.
  • Stir in the lemon juice and citric acid. Allow the liquid to cool until it is nearly room temperature and has not started setting (about 30 minutes). If your house is cold, this may take a shorter time to set. If it starts to set, just reheat and wait again to cool. The liquid should be a pourable consistency.

Assembling:

  • While the liquid cools, blind bake the pie crusts if you haven't already, then cool completely.
  • Place the pie crust in the fridge in a spot where it is as level as possible. Pour the filling into the baked pie crust while the crust is in the fridge. It should fill up to the top.
  • Chill for 8-10 hours or until the pie filling is completely set.
  • Just prior to serving, place the meringues on top of the pie as desired. Do not decorate more than an hour or so ahead of serving, or else the meringue will melt into the pie filling. Serve chilled and enjoy!
Keyword gelatin, lemon, pie, pie crust
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