Cook the Book: Sweet Tea Lemon Chess Pie

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons cornmeal 
• 3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 8 large egg yolk 
• 2 cups granulated sugar 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon fresh
• 1  lemon zest 
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 0.5 pound butter unsalted at room temperature (2 sticks)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 0.8 cup cranberry-orange relish brewed

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• pie form

Directions

1. For the crust: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until well-combined.
2. Add the flour and mix at low speed until the dough comes together into a ball. Pat the dough evenly and thinly into a 9-inch pie pan, building up a thicker top edge.
3. Place the pie shell in the freezer while preparing the filling.
4. For the filling: Beat the butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the sugar. Beat in the zest.
5. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping the bowl often. Slowly add the tea, vanilla, vinegar, and lemon juice.
6. Add the flour and cornmeal. Scrape the bowl and mix well. Don’t be alarmed if the mixture looks slightly curdled.
7. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
8. Remove the pie shell from the freezer and pour in the filling.
9. Bake until only a quarter-sized area in the center jiggles slightly when the pie is shaken gently, about 50 minutes. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack and then chill at least 2 hours before serving.