Kos Lemon Pie
Submitted by butterf1y
Kos lemon pie, a Greek almond and honey tart in a lemon shortcrust pastry, soaked in lemon syrup and dusted with powdered sugar. An elegant Mediterranean dessert with bright citrus flavor.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
2 hrsA Greek lemon tart from the island of Kos with a ground almond and honey filling baked in a lemon-scented shortcrust pastry, then drenched in a warm lemon syrup while still hot. The syrup soaks into the crust and filling, turning the whole pie into something saturated with bright, intense citrus.
The pastry itself has lemon zest worked right into the dough, so the lemon flavor starts at the base and builds upward. The filling is rich but not heavy: butter creamed with honey instead of sugar, egg yolks for richness, ground blanched almonds for body, fresh lemon juice for sharpness, and a touch of cream to smooth it all out.
The lemon syrup poured over the warm pie is the finishing move. Thin strips of lemon zest simmer in sugar water until the syrup coats a spoon, then fresh lemon juice goes in off the heat. Pouring it over the hot tart lets everything absorb deeply. A generous dusting of powdered sugar and the reserved candied zest on top make it stunning.
Chef Tips
- Keep the butter cold and work quickly when making the pastry. Warm butter makes a tough, dense crust.
- Blind bake the shell for just 6-8 minutes to set it, not brown it. It finishes baking with the filling.
- Pour the syrup over the pie while both are still warm. Cold pie won’t absorb the syrup properly.
- Serve immediately after dusting with powdered sugar. The sugar absorbs moisture and loses its look over time.
Variations
- Replace almonds with pistachios for a greener, more distinctly Greek filling.
- Add a tablespoon of rosewater to the syrup for a Middle Eastern-inspired twist.
- Use orange juice and zest instead of lemon for a sweeter, mellower citrus tart.
Ingredients
Directions
To make the pastry, sift the flour and confectioners’ sugar into a large cold bowl, stir in the grated lemon zest and salt, and add the butter.
Quickly and lightly rub the mixture together with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal.
Beat the egg yolks and vanilla together and stir into the flour mixture.
Pull the dough together into a ball with your fingers, adding cold water only if necessary to make a soft dough. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry to fit a 9- to 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
To transfer the pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin, lift above the pan, and unroll over the rim.
With your thumb and knuckle, gently press the pastry into the pan, then roll the rolling pin over the rim to trim the edges.
Line with aluminum foil and bake 6 to 8 minutes or until just set.
Set aside, and lower the oven temperature to 325℉ (160℃).
To make the filling, beat the butter and honey with an electric mixer or by hand until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
Then stir in the almonds, the juice of 2 lemons (reserve the zest, removed in thin strips), and the cream.
Pour into the pastry shell and lightly smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and set.
Meanwhile, combine the superfine sugar, reserved lemon zest, and water in a sugar pan or small heavy saucepan.
Slowly bring to a boil, then simmer 6 minutes or until the syrup lightly coats the back of a metal spoon.
Set aside to cool slightly.
Add the remaining lemon juice to the barely warm syrup and strain, reserving the zest.
Pour the syrup over the warm pie, remove from the pan, and liberally sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and the reserved zest.
Serve immediately.
Note: To make the pastry in the food processor, chill the processor bowl and metal blade in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Working very quickly, process the flour, sugar, lemon zest, and butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla and pulse just to mix.
(It is unlikely that you will need to add water.) Wrap and refrigerate.
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