Passionfruit Curd Pie - Hummingbird High

Instructions

For the Lard and Butter Pie Crust

Combine 1 cup water, 1/2 cup ice, and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and give it a brief mix with a whisk or fork to combine the ingredients. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill and keep cold while you bring the dry ingredients together.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until combined. Add 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/4 cup lard and coat with the flour mixture using your hands by gently tossing the mixture over the pieces (but don't actually touch the butter and lard pieces themselves — you don't want them to get melty!). Working quickly, use a pastry blender to cut the butter and lard into the flour mixture until mostly pea-sized pieces of the butter and lard remain.
Remove the ice water mixture (from the 1st step) from the refrigerator and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water mixture over the flour mixture. Mix and cut in the water with the pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. Add more of the ice water mixture, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, and mix until the dough comes together in a ball with some dry bits remaining. Squeeze and pinch with your fingertips to bring all the dough together, sprinkling any dry bits with more small drops of ice water if necessary to combine. Be careful during this part — don't use too much water or you'll end up with a soggy pie crust and I'll cry for you! Use only the amount needed to bring the dough together into a ball; you'll likely only use about half of the ice water mixture, if that.
Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight before rolling, crimping, and ultimately pre-baking.

To Pre-Bake the Pie Crust

First, prepare the crust. Once the dough has chilled overnight and has the texture and consistency of saltwater taffy, it's ready to be rolled. Liberally sprinkle a work surface with flour. Unwrap the dough and place it on the work surface, sprinkling its top with flour. If the dough is hard, let it rest for a few minutes. If the dough seems too sticky at first, add flour liberally. Use a rolling pin to roll with light pressure, from the center out, moving the pie dough around every quarter to roll it evenly. Roll the the dough to about 12 to 13 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick (place your pie plate upside down over it to check its size).
Move the dough into the pie plate by folding it into quarters, then moving it into the plate and unfolding it. When the dough is in the plate, press it firmly into the bottom and sides of the plate. Roll the excessive pie dough overhang so that it sits like a tube on the pie plate rim. At this point, you can either crimp the tube with a fork or use your fingers to create a crimping pattern (The New York Times has a great how-to video demonstrating a relatively easy crimping technique). Once you've styled the crust, poke the sides and bottom of the pie crust all over with a fork to create holes — these holes allow steam to escape and help keep the pie crust in shape when pre-baking. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour until firm.
When the crust has frozen and you're ready to bake it, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Remove the pie crust from the freezer and place the 13 x 13-inch square of aluminum foil over the pie crust, gently smoothing it into place and pleating it as needed to fit foil up against the bottom and sides of the shell. Fill the shell to the top with your pie weights. Gently stir the weights around with your fingers to ensure there are no air pockets, especially down in the corners where the sides and bottom of the pan meet.
Place the weighted pie crust on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until the crimped edges have started to brown. Remove the pie and baking sheet from the oven and place on a wire rack; gently lift out the aluminum foil containing the weights. Transfer the pie back to the oven and bake for another additional 10 minutes, until the bottom and crimped edges of the pie are golden brown. Turn out to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Do not fill the pie if the crust is still warm — you'll end up with a soggy crust if you do!

For the Passionfruit Curd Pie

Once the pre-baked pie has cooled to room temperature completely, center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Set the pre-baked pie crust on a baking sheet.
In a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk together 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until combined. Whisk in 6 large eggs until incorporated. Add 2/3 cup passionfruit puree and whisk until the mixture is a homogenous, sunny yellow.
Fit a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and place the pan over medium heat. Cook the mixture, whisking constantly to prevent it from curdling, until the mixture thickens up, lightens in color, and registers 160 (F) on the candy thermometer; this should take around 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/2 cup unsalted butter one cube at a time, whisking until the mixture is smooth and all the butter has fully incorporated. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
Pour the passionfruit curd into the pre-baked pie shell and bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges of the filling have puffed but the center is barely set. You can test this by giving the baking sheet a jolt in the oven — the center should still wobble slightly when you pull it out. If it's pretty solid, you've overcooked it!
When the pie has finished baking, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature, before chilling in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and serving with the crème fraîche whipped cream.

For the Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

When the pie has chilled and you're ready to serve it, make the crème fraîche whipped cream. In a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. When soft peaks form, fold in 1/4 cup crème fraîche until fully incorporated. Use immediately.

Get the Recipe: Passionfruit Curd Pie

Ingredients

For the Lard and Butter Pie Crust

(makes one 9-inch, single crust pie)

For the Passionfruit Curd

(makes enough for one 9-inch pie)

For the Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

(makes around 1 cup)

Equipment

Instructions

For the Lard and Butter Pie Crust

To Pre-Bake the Pie Crust

For the Passionfruit Curd Pie

For the Crème Fraîche Whipped Cream

Notes