Creamy and citrusy lemon buttermilk pie in a flaky gluten-free crust. The filling comes together in minutes! If gluten isn't an issue for you, feel free to make this with a half recipe of laminated pie crust dough, and use ¼ cup all purpose flour in the filling instead of the rice flour.
zest from 2 large lemons(use Meyer lemons if you've got 'em!)
1 vanilla bean*
¼cup(40 g) sweet rice flour*(such as Koda Farms Mochiko)
¼teaspoonfine sea salt
2large eggs
2egg yolks
1 ¼cupsfresh, well-shaken buttermilk(can sub kefir)
½cupheavy cream
¼cupstrained lemon juice(from 1-2 lemons)
Instructions
Prepare and parbake the pie crust as directed. Optionally brush the parbaked crust with a bit of beaten egg white and return to the oven for a minute or two; this will keep the crust extra crisp after baking.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325ºF.
Make the filling:
Place the sugar in a medium bowl. Zest the yellow part of the lemons' peel directly into the sugar to catch all the oils. Slit the vanilla bean down the center and use the back of the knife to scrape out the seeds, and add them to the sugar. Rub the sugar with your fingertips until it feels damp and slightly clumpy.
Whisk the flour and salt into the sugar until no floury lumps remain, then whisk in the eggs and yolks until smooth; whisk gently to avoid incorporating excess air into the batter.
Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, then the cream and lemon juice until smooth.
If your pie crust has cooled, return it to the oven for about 5 minutes to get it hot. With the par-baked crust still in the oven, carefully but quickly pour the filling into the crust.
Bake the pie until just set, 40-50 minutes. It will be puffed all over, and will barely wiggle when you give it a shake. Cool the pie completely, about 2 hours, then serve at room temperature or chill (chilling will give you cleaner slices).
The pie is best at room temperature shortly after cooling, but store extras in the fridge; they will keep well for up to 3 days.
Notes
*In place of the sweet rice flour, use 40 grams gluten-free all-purpose flour (or wheat flour if gluten isn't an issue)*In place of vanilla bean, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract along with the cream. Make ahead:
The pie crust can be made ahead and chilled for up to 2 days before or after parbaking, or frozen for up to several months.
The filling can be made ahead and chilled until needed for up to 2 days. Whisk to recombine before adding to the crust. Pre-chilled filling will likely take a bit longer to bake.
A few other recipe notes:
Save your vanilla pod to stick in a jar of sugar, or to add to vanilla ice cream or butterscotch pudding. If you lack vanilla bean, whisk in a teaspoon or so of vanilla extract with the lemon juice.
The baking instructions here are different than that of most custards. The acids in the buttermilk seem to prevent the custard from setting the way others do, so you must bake this pie longer, until puffed all over and just set when you give it a shake.
This pie is at its peak the day it is baked, when served at a cool room temperature.
Chilling the pie will give you cleaner slices, but I like the flavors and textures best at room temperature.
This pie is excellent on its own, but you can dress up plates with berries, whipped cream, slices of blood orange and/or a drizzle of blood orange reduction.
Nutritional values are based on one of eight servings.