Meyer Lemon Chess Pie

Earlier this year I was introduced to Zulka Pure Cane Sugar, an all-natural and unrefined granulated sugar, and was very pleased with it after testing it out in several recipes. Today, I’m writing to let you know about Zulka’s Holiday Bake-Off contest! To celebrate the holiday season, Zulka is hosting a Holiday Bake-Off Facebook contest for a chance to win $500 to Sur La Table! Entering is easy:

1. Create a recipe using Zulka Pure Cane Sugar
2. Upload the recipe with an image of your creation to Zulka’s “Bake-Off” Facebook tab by December 22 for a chance to win a $500 gift card to Sur La Table!

I know I am not giving you much warning with the deadline only being a couple of days away, but if you needed an excuse to bake any more festive treats for the holidays now is the time! To sweeten the deal, I am also giving away a bag of Zulka to one reader! Just use the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this post (giveaway ends Sunday night).

But before you rush off to enter the contest and giveaway, you really should stick around for this recipe I made. It’s a chess pie recipe from the days when my parents lived in Texas. My mom included this recipe in the recipe box she gave me when I left for college many years ago but I did not make it until now. In her directions she said to use lemon juice, coconut, or crushed pineapple. With Meyer lemons in season right now, there was an obvious winner.

Being that this was the first ever chess pie that I have made, I was a bit nervous to share it with people who had grown up in the South and ate this pie on the regular. To my satisfaction it passed the test. I was told that they had had regular, buttermilk, and chocolate chess pies but never lemon – and they liked it! Sounded like a good candidate for me to enter into Zulka’s Holiday Bake-Off ;-).

Two years ago: Pecan Fruit Cake

MEYER LEMON CHESS PIE

Makes 1 pie, serves 12-16

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie crust

3 eggs, separated

1-1/2 cups Zulka Pure Cane Sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice (can substitute with traditional lemon)

1 Tbsp vinegar

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place crust in a pie pan and crimp edges. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vinegar, and vanilla until blended. Gently fold in egg whites.
4. Pour mixture into the pie crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean and is browned on top.

Source: My mom (while living in Texas, 1976)

Disclosure: Complimentary bag of Zulka Pure Cane Sugar and giveaway provided by RK Public Relations. I was not compensated for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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