Recipe: Chess Pie

Lemon Chess Pie

Ingredients:
- 1 9-inch pie pastry shell
- 4 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon white cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon finely grated and chopped lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- Seasonal berries and whipped cream to garnish as desired

Preparation:
(1) To prepare the filling, crack 4 eggs (already at room temperature) into a small bowl, and beat with a whisk.
(2) Mix in 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar.
(3) Combine the following ingredients into this mixture:
1 tablespoon white cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated and chopped (lemon zest is the outer yellow part of the skin)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature (whisk the butter completely into the other ingredients)
1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, at room temperature
(NOTE: It is important that all ingredients be at room temperature before mixing so the butter doesn't solidify by the addition of cold ingredients.)
(4) Prepare a nine-inch pie shell, unbaked.
Pour filling into pie shell.
Place in preheated oven on middle rack.
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack where it should cool completely.
Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.
(NOTE: The pie is finished baking when the top is golden, the filling has set, and the pie crust is a beautiful golden brown.)