Prickly Pear Lemonade Pie

Vibrantly pink and subtly sweet prickly pear custard contrasts beautifully with bright, tangy lemon mousse in a creamy pie inspired by the flavors of a popular Southwestern beverage.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword award winning, curd, Easter, gelatin, graham cracker, holiday table, lemon, mousse, nut free, pie, prickly pear, whipped cream

Category Pies

Baking Ambition Show-Stopper

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 45

Chilling Time 6

Total Time 7 30

Servings

Calories 608kcal

Equipment

food processor (optional)
pie plate 9", deep dish
saucepans small and medium
fine mesh sieve
4 mixing bowls medium, heat safe
2 small bowls microwave safe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.candy thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

~Graham Cracker Crust~

200 g graham crackers
50 g sugar
8 g cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
84 g unsalted butter

~Prickly Pear Filling~

4 egg yolks
3 eggs
300 g sugar
240 ml prickly pear juice
40 ml lemon juice (or the juice from 1 medium lemon)
5 g lemon zest (or the zest from 1 medium lemons)
6 g orange zest (or the zest from 1 medium orange)
¼ tsp salt
2 sheets gold leaf gelatin (or 9g gelatin powder)
168 g unsalted butter

~Lemon Mousse Topping~

3 egg yolks
150 g sugar divided use
80 ml lemon juice (or the juice from 2 medium lemons)
10 g lemon zest (or the zest from 2 medium lemons)
3 egg whites
⅛ tsp cream of tartar
⅛ tsp salt
180 ml heavy cream chilled
56 g mascarpone cheese
1 ½ sheets gold leaf gelatin (or 6g gelatin powder)

~Prickly Pear Whipped Cream Garnish (optional)~

180 ml heavy cream chilled
56 g mascarpone cheese
30 g powdered sugar
30-60 ml prickly pear juice to taste
½ sheet gold leaf gelatin (or 3g gelatin powder)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

~Graham Cracker Crust~

Preheat oven to 350° F
Crush the graham crackers (pulse in a food processor or place in a bag and use a mallet or rolling pin)
200 g graham crackers
Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt into the graham cracker crumbs
50 g sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 8 g cornstarch
Using a food processor, pastry cutter or pair of knives blend the 6 tbsp of butter into the graham cracker crumbs until it resembles moist sand. At this point the mixture should hold together when pressed.
84 g unsalted butter
Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a deep dish 9” pie plate.
Bake for 12 minutes, set aside on a rack to cool.

~Prickly Pear Filling~

Thoroughly whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, prickly pear juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange zest and salt in a medium saucepan.
4 egg yolks, 3 eggs, 300 g sugar, 240 ml prickly pear juice, 40 ml lemon juice, 5 g lemon zest, 6 g orange zest, 1/4 tsp salt
Bloom the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin and place it in a medium heat safe bowl. Place the butter on top of the bloomed gelatin and put a fine mesh sieve over the bowl. Set aside, but keep it near the stove
2 sheets gold leaf gelatin, 168 g unsalted butter
Heat the egg/juice mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly
The mixture will start out thin, translucent and may form a fine white foam over the surface, as it heats up the curd will thicken, become more opaque and the foam will disappear.
Cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. The mixture should only come to a simmer, about 195°F - 205°F, don't allow it to come to a full boil.
Immediately remove from the heat and pour through the sieve over the butter and gelatin. (You can skip straining the curd if you are certain there are no bits of cooked egg and you like the bits of zest in the curd which can provide additional color and flavor.)
Stir until the butter and gelatin are melted and thoroughly incorporated. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes before pouring the mixture into the prepared and cooled crust. Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring that the plastic is in contact with the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming, and place in the refrigerator to set (at least an hour, it needs to set enough to support the layer of lemon mousse).

~Lemon Mousse Topping~

Combine the egg yolks, 100g sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium low heat and cook, whisking constantly, for about 10 - 15 minutes or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3 egg yolks, 80 ml lemon juice, 10 g lemon zest, 100 g sugar
Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heat proof bowl to remove the lemon zest (this step is optional if you like the additional color, texture and flavor of the zest). Let stand until cool.
Beat the egg whites, 50g sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a medium mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the lemon curd until no streaks of egg white remain, being careful not to knock out the air. Chill for at least 2 hours.
3 egg whites, 1/8 tsp cream of tartar, 1/8 tsp salt, 50 g sugar
Bloom the gelatin sheets in cold water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin and place it in a small microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 10 second intervals until clear, set aside to cool slightly
1 1/2 sheets gold leaf gelatin
Beat the whipping cream in a chilled medium mixing bowl just until it starts to thicken.
180 ml heavy cream
Quickly mix a small amount of the soft whipped cream into the melted gelatin.
Resume beating on low speed while gradually adding in the melted gelatin and cream mixture. Add the mascarpone cheese and continue beating until soft peaks form.
56 g mascarpone cheese
Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the lemon mixture until evenly combined.
Spread over the top of the prickly pear filling and return to the refrigerator.

~Prickly Pear Whipped Cream (optional)~

Bloom the gelatin sheet in cold water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatin and place it in a small microwave safe bowl, melt in the microwave in 10 second intervals until clear.
1/2 sheet gold leaf gelatin
Whisk 30ml (2 tbsp) of prickly pear juice into the melted gelatin. Set aside.
30-60 ml prickly pear juice
Use an electric mixer to beat heavy cream just until it starts to thicken. Slowly, with the mixer on low speed, stream in the prickly pear juice and gelatin mixture. Keep the mixture on low speed and add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it is all incorporated.
180 ml heavy cream, 30 g powdered sugar
Add the mascarpone cheese and continue beating until medium peaks form.
56 g mascarpone cheese
If color or flavor of the whipped cream is not intense enough at this point, continue to mix in the additional juice 1 tbsp at a time. Be careful at this stage not to overwhip the cream mixture - you are looking for a consistency that will hold its shape when piped, so medium to firm peaks.
30-60 ml prickly pear juice
Place the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe a decorative border around the edge of the pie. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

If there is any concern about the raw egg whites in the lemon mousse component you can use pasteurized eggs. However, you will need to make a slight adjustment as the pasteurization process alters the proteins in the egg whites.
- Beat the egg whites, sugar and salt on low to medium-low speed until foamy (about 1-2 minutes)
- Add 3/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue whipping, gradually increasing the speed of the mixer until stiff peaks form. This may take a bit longer than with fresh egg whites, just be patient and continue whipping.
- TIP: Starting at a low speed helps create a more stable foam, composed of more and smaller bubbles. Starting immediately at a high speed results in fewer, larger bubbles and an overall less stable foam.

Nutrition