Yuzu Pie

My youngest kiddo and I absolutely love yuzu. It's kind of like a cross between lemon and grapefruit in flavor. There is a softly bitter aromatic quality to it (like grapefruit), with floral notes like orange blossom. We especially love candied yuzu peel, having first tried it from a Japanese subscription box. Yuzu is really difficult to get in the states, almost impossible fresh, because it cannot be imported and is only seasonally found from California. But the CA company does sell bottled juice, syrup and peel, and you can find other yuzu syrups and purees online as well. Just by itself, yuzu doesn't pack quite the pucker of lemon or lime and since this is very much like a key lime pie, I did add a little lemon juice for some added tartness to meet that expectation. I do prefer the flavor of the rich biscuits for the crust, but graham crackers work just as well! I tried a couple different combinations for the filling and this is what turned out our favorite. If there is a little leftover filling that won't fit in the pie, just cook it on low in a small pot until it bubbles and thickens like lemon curd, then chill. Yummy and creamy.

Yuzu Pie

Crust:
1½ cups rich biscuit or graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp salted butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar (2-3 tbsp for graham crumbs)

Filling:
⅔ cup yuzu Juice, syrup, or puree (or a combination)
⅓ cup lemon juice (add some of the zest if using fresh lemon!)
24 oz sweetened condensed milk (just under two cans)
4 large egg yolks

Whipped Cream:
¾ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp powdered sugar

Optional lemon zest or candied lemon/yuzu peel for garnish

For the crust:

Combine melted butter, crumbs and sugar until fully moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom and around the sides of a 9" pie tin.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350º F and remove from oven.

For the filling:

Whisk the sweetened condensed milk, juices, and egg yolks together (or use a blender or electric mixer). If using fresh lemon juice, add some of the zest from the lemon. Pour into warm crust. (You may have a few tablespoons extra.)

Bake the pie for 18–20 minutes or until just a little jiggly in the center. It should be mostly set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cool, cover and chill for at least 3 hours (and up to 3 days) before serving.

When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream and sugar on high until stiff peaks form.

Serve slices with a whipped cream dollops or piped border. Garnish with candied peel if desired.