I am sure if I had access to Meyer lemons, this might have a bit more zip. But I intend to use what I have and that would be plain old lemons. I thought Giant Eagle promised me they would carry Meyer lemons on a regular basis, but I might have been gathering wool at the time. This is another recipe from Southern Living Pies, my newest cookbook which I did not need, but pie press lures me in every time. Baking takes my mind off of Glenda's operation which is happening as I write. It is her third in three months and this one will hopefully be successful. Thankfully, Beth's mother is on the mend and doing well. Age is taking its toll, one loved one at a time.
Now, it's the crust that gets me every time. I am not a patient cook and I want it to do its thing and hop in the oven all within a few minutes, but noooooooooo, it's got to do this, and have that, and chill (sounds like a teenager, and acts like one.) I beat it yesterday with the coconut crust which is all I am ever going to need, but I press on any way to the easy cream cheese crust for beginners. I remember this from making pecan tassies. That dough was so easy to maneuver.
Cream cheese pie crust:
6 tablespoons room temperature butter
2 oz. room temperature cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons iced water
Beat first four ingredients at medium speed. Gradually add flour, beating at low speed. Add iced water beating until mixture forms a ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Shape in a disk and chill for an hour.
Roll out and fit in a tart pan or a 9 inch pie plate. Freeze 10 minutes while you are making your filling.
Choose your own filling, but I am going to use the lemon tart filling. If it works well with the given crust, I will type in the lemon tart recipe (filling.) If not, you still have a great crust with which to work. (Oh, pecan pie filling would be great in this crust.)
As promised:
Lemon filling for the above crust or any crust.
1 medium- sized Meyer lemon or other thing-skinned lemon
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large eggs (I like jumbo)
powered sugar for dusting
Prepare your tart pan with the removable ring.
Trim the lemon's ends and cut in 4 wedges, then cut the wedges into halves. Remove and discard seeds.
Process lemon pieces and next 6 ingredients in a processor or blender until smooth, scrape the sides and blend again..
Bake 350 for 35 to 40 minutes until filling is nearly set. It will continue to set when cooling. Cool completely and dust with powdered sugar and YUM!
Paula Deen can bake and this orange cake proves it. I've just pulled it from the oven and just tasted the orange icing that will go on when the cake is cooled. I thank her and wish her well. She got a bum's rush from Food Network and I haven't liked them since. They do not stand behind their people, never have and she is no exception.
Paula's Orange cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt (I don't use that much.)
2 sticks of butter, softened
4 eggs
2 tsp. pure orange extract
1 tsp. grated orange zest
Stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and zest. Using a mixer beat until well blended and pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light brown and set. Allow cake to cool.
Frosting: (I am not an icing person, so this one is really sweet to me. I would not use that much confectioners' sugar...but as you like it.)
1 package cream cheese softened
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 pound confectioners' sugar (I didn't use that much.)
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
Frosting (which is luscious)
In a large mixing bowl whip the soft butter and soft cream cheese with an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar until it is combined and smooth. Beat in the zest and juice. Spread on cooled cake.
