Blueberry-Lemon Pie with Salted Shortbread Crust
The salty shortbread crust on this pie is sturdy enough that it can be taken out of the pan and still hold its form.
This pie came to be thanks to a number of factors: 1) I got many pints of free blueberries and was on the lookout for ways to use them; 2) I made Alison Roman’s lemon tart and fell in love with the shortbread crust; 3) I made Bon Appetit’s cranberry lime curd pie last Thanksgiving and while the execution on my end was a big flop (the cranberry curd that wouldn’t set!), it felt like it had promise. So, voila: this pie.
Part of what I love about this is how simple and gentle the flavors. It doesn’t have a big bite from the citrus or the blueberries, but instead has an almost yogurt-y taste. It feels like a kid-friendly treat, and with its shortbread that doesn’t let an ounce of filling through, you can walk around eating a slice of it like you would a slice of pizza. Picnic-friendly, kid-friendly, summer-friendly!
Adjustments: just make the lemon shortbread pie or the cranberry lime curd tart
Ingredients
Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 3/4 cups/210 grams all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces
2/3 cup/76 grams powdered sugar
Filling
6 ounces fresh (or frozen, thawed) blueberries, plus 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) for serving
1 1/4 cups/250 grams granulated sugar, divided
2 medium eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, divided
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of kosher salt
3/8 cups (3/4 stick/85 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
Preparation
Crust
Preheat oven to 325. Coat springform pan with nonstick spray.
Whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Place butter and powdered sugar in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is smooth. Add dry ingredients to food processor and pulse until mixture resembles medium-size pebbles (dough will not come together completely). Transfer dough to prepared pan. Using your fingers, press dough evenly onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of pan.
Bake crust until center is firm to the touch and edges are beginning to turn golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool completely. Do Ahead: Crust can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Filling and Assembly
Bring 6 oz. blueberries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Reduce heat; simmer until blueberries burst and most of the liquid evaporates, 12–15 minutes. Let cool. Purée in a blender until very smooth.
Cook purée, eggs, egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water), stirring with a rubber spatula and scraping down sides of bowl often, until curd thickens and coats spatula, 8–10 minutes (be careful not to overcook, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs). Let cool until just warm.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat curd, adding butter a piece at a time and incorporating after each addition, until curd looks lighter in color and texture, about 5 minutes. Scrape into crust and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
Bring 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add remaining 2 oz. blueberries and cook until barely starting to soften, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer blueberries to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill until no longer sticky, 20–30 minutes.
Toss remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp. lemon zest in a small bowl. Toss blueberries in lemon sugar. Top pie with blueberries; serve with whipped cream.
Do Ahead: Pie (without topping) can be made 2 days ahead. Cover once filling is firm and keep chilled. Let sit at room temperature 2 hours before serving.
