Ingredients
Method
Start by making the lemon curd*
- Fill a medium saucepan with 1-2 inches of water. Place a large heatproof bowl on top (you may also use a double boiler for this) Let it come to a boil on medium high heat, then reduce to low and allow it to come to a simmer.
- Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to the top bowl. Using a silicon whisk*, blendtogether. Cook for 10 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisking the whole time helps prevent the eggs from curdling. The mixture should have thickened, and will resemble the consistency of Hollandaise sauce. If the mixture is not thickening, turn up the heat, making sure you are still constantly whisking.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately whisk in the 6 pieces of butter. The remaining heat of the curd will melt the butter. Pour the finished curd into a glass jar or bowl. Cover the top of the curd with cling wrap, making sure the cling wrap is touching the surface of the curd. This prevents a skin from forming as the curd cools. It will thicken as it cools, so do not be alarmed if it seems thin now. Allow the covered curd to chill in the refrigerator until we use it in the final step. We only use a little bit of the curd, so the extra will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- If you are starting with full graham cracker sheets, begin by crushing them using either a food processor or a zip top bag and a rolling pin. You want it to be fine, with no big clumps.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. The mixture should be thick and sandy. Press this into a 9 inch tart pan, making sure it is very compact. I like to use the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure it is tightly packed into the pan. This also helps make make it even.
- Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes or until slightly browned and hardened. Once baked, remove from the oven and place on a cooling wrack to cool completely in the pan.
Next Make the Strawberry Filling
- Start by whisking the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until combined and the cornstarch is dissolved. I use a fork to do this. Add the strawberries, granulated sugar, and the cornstarch mixture to a small sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Try to break up the strawberries as you do this.
- Let the mixture come to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then, remove from the heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- While the mixture is still warm, pour it into a small food processor. Pulse until smooth. I like to run it through a sieve to get rid of most of the seeds. The mixture should now be smooth and thin. Let it cool in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes while we prepare the cream.
- In a medium bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, Whip the heavy cream, confectioners sugar, vanilla, and salt together on medium high speed using the whisk attachment. You want stiff peaks, which will take around 3 minutes. If you do not have a mixer you can use a whisk and do it by hand, it just might take a little bit longer.
- Fold half of the cooled strawberry mixture into the whipped cream until combined. Then fold in the second half. We do this in batches so we do not deflate the whipped cream. The filling should be soft and fluffy.
- Pour the finished filling into the cooled crust and, using a spatula or an offset spatula, smooth out the top. Place the tart in the freezer and let it freeze for at least two hours before moving on.
Finally, Make the Lemon Topping
- In a small bowl using a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the crème fraîche until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 Tablespoons of the lemon curd until combined. Mixture will be thin. Spoon dollops of the topping on the top of the frozen pie. Top with whole strawberries. Serve immediately and freeze leftovers. Pie keeps frozen for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
*Lemon Curd: You can use a store bought lemon curd for this recipe, but I recommend making your own. It isn’t as difficult as it seems and it tastes much fresher then any store bought curd.
*Silicon whisk: Using a silicon whisk when making lemon curd is preferred over a metal whisks. Metal whisks can leave a metallic taste in the curd, but works in a pinch.
