Southern Chess Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients.
• Bake in 450 degree oven until crust begins to brown (about 10 minutes).
• Reduce heat to 350; bake about 40 minutes until the pie does not shake in the middle. It will look very dark, and will fall some after you take it out of the oven.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar, and add the eggs one by one. Blend in the lemon juice, zest, buttermilk, vanilla and cornmeal so you have a light mixture. Pour filling into pie shell and bake for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or more until center is almost completely set.
• TIP: LEMON PEPPER
• This is a great tip to lower your salt intake. Just peel the zest from a lemon, avoiding the white pith which is bitter. Bake at a low temperature, like 300 for about 2035 minutes, until peel is dry (temperature depends on how big a batch). Coarsely chop, and blend in a spice grinder with 15 black peppercorns, 10 white peppercorns, 8 allspice berries, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder. Pulse to combine.
• LEMON BUTTER
• Soft butter. Juice lemons, add shallots and parsley. Season with salt and white pepper. Mix well and form into logs for serving and freezing.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the crust: Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Remove the butter from the freezer and work it into the dough by hand, working quickly to keep the butter as cold as possible. (Cold butter flakes are the secret to a flaky crust.) Be sure to leave pea-size butter flecks visible. Slowly pour the ice water into flour mixture. Using your hands, mix until a dough starts to form. Be careful not to overmix. It should appear shaggy but cohesive.
• Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 1/4-inch-thick circle, 12 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough round to a 9-inch pie dish. Press the dough down into the dish. Tuck any overhanging dough back under the rim, using your hands to create a thick outer edge. Use a fork to crimp the edges or your hands to pinch for a more professional look. Place in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the freezer. Using a toothpick or a fork, poke holes in the bottom of the crust. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill the raw pie shell with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it begins to lightly brown. Remove from the oven and remove the parchment and pie weights.
• Beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash. Return to the oven and bake until light golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool completely before filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Whisk together the melted butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl. Once combined, stir in the buttermilk, cornmeal, vanilla and salt. Pour the custard into the cooled pie crust. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, checking the pie after 30 minutes and tenting the crust with foil if it is browning too quickly. When the pie is ready, a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean and it should reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.
• Cool on a wire rack for 3 to 4 hours. If cut while too warm, the filling will not be set. Once cooled, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, cut into slices and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Combine filling ingredients in mixing bowl; beat on high speed 3 to 5 minutes or until very well mixed.
• Pour into pastry shell.
• Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and firm.
• Cool before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and vanilla together. Mix in the eggs, then stir in the cornmeal, evaporated milk and vinegar until smooth.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 40 minutes. Let cool. Cut and top servings with whipped cream. You will think you have died and gone to heaven.

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and corn meal.
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Stir in whipping cream, cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and melted butter.
• Pour into unbaked pie shell.
• Bake on middle rack at 400 F for 10 minutes.
• Lower heat to 325 F and continue baking for 45 minutes more.

Steps:

• Whisk together all ingredients. Use filling immediately.
• Makes enough to fill one 9-inch pie.
• (Tip: To make Lemon Chess Pie, pour filling into 9-inch unbaked pieshell and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes or until firm. Shield edges to prevent excess browning, if needed. Cool completely on a wire rack.).

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
• Set aside.
• In large bowl, cream together sugar, cornmeal, lemon juice, butter and egg yolks for 5 minutes or more until creamy.
• Gently fold beaten egg whites into this lemon mixture.
• Gently pour filling into pie crust.
• Bake about 15 minutes or until top of pie begins to brown.
• Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes or more until pie is just set in the middle.
• It should be a little jiggly, not runny, in the middle.
• Remove from oven and cool.
• It can be refrigerated, but is best served at room temperature.
• Covered, this pie will keep unrefrigerated for up to 4 days; however, it won't last that long!