There’s no doubting Maya-Camille Broussard’s cred when it comes to pie. The star of Netflix’s “Bake Squad” and owner of Chicago’s Justice of the Pies has a new cookbook out — “Justice of the Pies” (Clarkson Potter, $30) — that weaves stories about social activists among its 75 recipes for sweet and savory pies, quiches and tarts.
Those treats run the gamut from Sweet Potato Praline Pie to this stunning Lemon Espresso Pie, which is paired with an inspiring story about a man who is helping the Black and Brown communities in Chicago deal with mental health issues through discussion groups that destigmatize therapy. Those groups, which used coffee, doughnuts and hip hop to woo participants, quickly grew from 20 people at the first meeting to 300 by the third.
This pie tops a bright lemon custard with tart lemon zest, fudge sauce and Chantilly cream, for a show-stopping dessert that will be equally at home at holiday feasts and dinner parties. Bonus: It’s a do-ahead dessert that can be made ahead and frozen.
Lemon Espresso Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
INGREDIENTS
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Espresso Chocolate Cookie Crust (see below)
¼ cup Lemon Curd (see below)
Hot Fudge Sauce, homemade (page 217) or store-bought, warmed
Vanilla Bean Chantilly Cream (see recipe here)
DIRECTIONS
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks until well combined. While whisking, slowly pour in the lemon juice and continue whisking until well blended. Fold in the lemon zest. The mixture will begin to thicken as the acids in the lemon juice react with the proteins in the sweetened condensed milk. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
Press the espresso-bean-infused cookie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan or tart pan with a removable bottom. Place the pan on a baking sheet and pour the filling into the crust.
Bake until tiny bubbles emerge on the surface of the pie’s filling, about 15 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to chill and set.
Using a silicone or offset spatula, spread the lemon curd across the entire surface of the pie and refrigerate for 1 more hour.
To serve, pour ¼ cup of the hot fudge sauce on each plate. Place a slice of pie on the fudge and top with Chantilly cream.
Refrigerate the pie in a cake box for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Remove the pie from the freezer and allow it to thaw for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing. Wait to add sauce and top with Chantilly cream until just before serving.
Lemon Curd
Makes ½ cup
INGREDIENTS
4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup (134g) sugar
1/3 cup (76g) fresh lemon juice (2 or 3 lemons)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
Finely grated zest of 2 medium lemons
DIRECTIONS
Fill a pot halfway with water and set over medium-high heat.
In a medium glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and salt. Once the water boils, place the glass bowl on top of the pot and turn the heat down to low. Whisk the curd constantly until running a spoon across the top of the curd leaves a trail (even a loose one), 10 to 12 minutes.
Carefully remove the glass bowl from the pot and set aside. If the curd has any cooked egg bits (or looks lumpy), strain the filling through a fine-mesh sieve and into a medium bowl.
Immediately whisk in the butter and lemon zest until the butter melts. Cover with plastic wrap so that it touches the top of the curd (this will prevent a film from forming as the curd cools). Don’t worry if the curd looks thin—it will continue to thicken as it cools. Once the custard is cooled, transfer it to an airtight glass jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 12 days.
Hot Fudge Sauce
Makes 4 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (235g) evaporated milk
1 cup (235g) heavy cream
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces (57g) unsweetened baking chocolate, broken into smaller pieces
1 cup (80g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salt and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Add the chocolate and whisk until it dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and, while whisking, sift in the cocoa powder. Return to low heat and constantly whisk until a sheen is formed, about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla.
Allow the fudge sauce to cool slightly before using.
Store in a jar at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Espresso Chocolate Cookie Crust
Makes one 9-inch crust
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (315g) chocolate sandwich cookies with filling, either storebought or homemade
1 tablespoon ground espresso
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
Place the cookies and ground espresso powder in a blender or food processor and pulse until crumbs are formed. Transfer the crumbs to a medium bowl, pour in the melted butter and using a silicone spatula, stir until the crumbs are well moistened, and the crumbs hold a shape when pressed.
Transfer the crumbs to a 9-inch pie pan or or a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
— Reprinted from “Justice of the Pies,” copyright © 2022 by Maya-Camille Broussard. Photographs copyright © 2022 by Dan Goldberg. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.
