Pennsylvania Dutch Lemon Sponge Pie

Adapted from the Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook (1961) // Lemon sponge pie is closely associated with Pennsylvania Dutch Amish tradition, where it has long been considered part of their culinary heritage. This pie is refreshing and delicious, and delivers that lemon tart flavor without all the fuss.

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Ingredients

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
2 eggs separated
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon salted butter melted
1 cup milk
1 8- inch pie shell parbaking suggested
Optional: Whipped cream for garnishing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks, then mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and melted butter.
Stir the milk into the egg yolk mixture until combined.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in three additions and stir until smooth and well combined.
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until rounded peaks form. Gently whisk into the lemon mixture until just incorporated.
Pour the filling into a parbaked pie shell and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is set.
Allow to cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature - with lots of whipped cream!

Notes

Notes on parbaking: Parbaking means partially baking a pie shell before adding the filling. While the original recipe calls for an unbaked crust, for a pie like this, where the filling is quite wet, it's worth taking the step to parbake. Parbaking allows both the crust and filling to finish cooking at roughly the same time, can prevent a soggy bottom, and provide a crisper, flakier texture. Here’s a great tutorial on how to do it from pie expert, Erin Jeanne McDowell.