Recipe Index

Ingredients

• 43 Ritz crackers (about 1 1/3 sleeves) or 45 saltine crackers (about 1 1/4 sleeves)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal or 3/4 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, divided
• 1 large egg white
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup cherry jam
• 1 tablespoons maraschino cherry syrup, plus maraschino cherries for serving

Method

1. Pulse the crackers in a food processor to very fine crumbs — no piece bigger than a lentil — and heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Stir the crumbs with the 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, then toss them with the egg white and melted butter until every crumb is damp.
3. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan using the flat base of a measuring cup.
4. Bake the crust for 18 to 20 minutes until it turns golden brown, and let it cool slightly.
5. Whisk the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk vigorously, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and the remaining salt.
6. Pour the lemon filling into the warm crust and bake the pie for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are set but the centre still jiggles a little when the pan is shaken gently.
7. Cool the pie, then warm the cherry jam and maraschino cherry syrup in a small saucepan for about 2 minutes until runny and strain the mixture through a fine sieve.
8. Let the jam cool a little, drizzle it over the centre of the pie, and tilt the pie in a slow roll so the glaze coats the filling evenly without spilling onto the crust.
9. Chill the glazed pie for at least 2 hours until cold and serve it topped with maraschino cherries.

Total: 1 hour (plus cooling and chilling)

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data