Lemon Strata Pie

I tried a Lemon Strata Pie this summer, fell in love and vowed I would re-make it!  Well, I forgot about it until a few weeks ago when I happened to have the chance to try it again.  My love was rekindled and this time I knew I had to make this pie!  And what better time than for Thanksgiving?  It was meant to be.

I've never really liked lemon meringue pie, I'm just not a huge meringue fan, but this pie, OH. MY. HECK!

Instead of meringue you are left with a layer of lemon cheesecake, lemon filling & then freshly whipped cream.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

So much better than meringue in my opinion.  It had me at cream cheese, like most things do.:)

Lemon Strata Pie

PRINT RECIPE

1 9" pie crust, cooked & cooled

Cheese cake layer:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Lemon filling layer:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced & zested
2 tablespoons butter
4 egg yolks

Whipped cream topping:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the cheesecake layer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the sugar and mix well.  Cream together the rest of the ingredients until smooth.  Pour over cooked and cooled pie shell.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for an hour or two, just until it's settled a little and has cooled most of the way.

For the lemon filling, mix sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the water, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil, stirring frequently.  Once it has reached a boil, add the butter and whisk until butter is melted and incorporated.  Place egg yolks into a small bowl and beat them.  Gradually whisk in about 1/2 cup of the hot lemon mixture into the yolks.  Whisk the egg yolk mixture back in with the lemon filling mixture.  Bring back to a boil and continue to whisk constantly until thick.  Remove from the heat.

Here's the pie crust with the cheesecake filling in it and the lemon filling in the sauce pan getting ready to be poured over the top!

Slowly pour over the cream cheese layer in your pie crust.  Let sit on the counter until lemon filling has mostly cooled.  Then cover and transfer to the fridge until completely cooled.

Place whipping cream in blender and blend until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar and then continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Slather on top of the lemon filling and top with a slice of lemon.

 

And there's pie 2 of our Pie week!  Keep coming back for more wonderful pies!