Pie has been my choice of dessert for as long as I can recall. To help heal during a rough break-up, I not only began this blog, but I took up pie making classes with a woman named Millicent. The metaphors are enough to fill a book. I’ll save that for the leftovers…today begins the first of many pieces of pie on JBD. Enjoy.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK PIE

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tbsp. all purpose flour

3 large eggs

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 tbsp. loosely packed lemon zest

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Perfect Pastry Crust (recipe for crust below)

Garnishes: Berries, Whipped Cream, Mint

Preheat over to 350 degrees, whisk together first 2 ingredients.

Whisk eggs & next 2 ingredients into flour mixture, pour into Perfect Pastry Crust .

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 – 45 minutes or until almost set, shielding edges with aluminum foil after 15 minutes.

Transfer to wire rack and cool for 1 hour. Garnish with berries and whipped cream and mint!

Recipe for Perfect Pastry Crust: Pulse 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 tsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. table salt in a food processor 3 or 4 times or until combined. Add 6 tbsp. cold butter (cubed) and 3 tbsp. cold shortening (cubed) and pulse 8 to 1o times. Drizzle 4 tbsp. ice water over the mixture and pulse 4 or 5 times until dough clumps together, adding up to 1 tbsp. ice water at a time. Gently shape dough into flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat over to 400 degrees, roll dough into 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, crimp edges. Prick bottom and sides with a fork. Line pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes then remove pie weights and paper, bake 8 to 10 more minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Original recipe via Southern Living May 2014