Lemon & Coconut Impossible Pie

Our neighbours invited us over for dinner last weekend and I was asked to bring a dessert. I love it when I get to make dessert. My lemon tree is still laden with fruit so my first inclination was of course something lemony. On Christmas day my contribution to the family table was a citrus curd tart – a recipe I’d tasted at a recent potluck lunch at work. The general consensus of my family was that they’d prefer the tart to be a little more... well... tart! That was not a surprising comment given that the recipe called for a mixture of orange and lemon juice. From memory I also used tangelo juice since I happened to have one in the fridge. Here’s the recipe which I think came from some egg promotion recipe book.

Citrus Curd Tart
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ cup melted butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup flour, sifted
½ cup lemon juice
½ cup orange juice
1 cup milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F
Grease a 20cm (8 inch) diameter pie dish (I used a cake tin)
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until mixed
Pour into the pie dish and place in the preheated oven
Cook for 45 minutes or until firm and golden brown on top
Serve sprinkled with icing sugar

For Saturday’s dinner I figured I’d just make the same citrus curd tart but use all lemon juice and see how it turned out. Could I find the recipe? No of course not. I googled “lemon coconut impossible pie” and came up with this link

Lemon & Coconut Impossible Pie

Ingredients
60g (2 ounces) soft butter
½ cup self raising flour
¾ cup caster Sugar
¾ cup desiccated coconut
3 large eggs
grated rind of 2 lemons (or limes)
½ cup lemon juice (or lime)
1 cup of milk

Method
Put all ingredients except milk into a mixing bowl and beat with a balloon whisk until combined
Add milk and whisk for 1 minute
Pour into a greased 23 or 25 cm (10 inch) pie plate and cook in a preheated moderate oven(180C/350F) for 50 to 60 minutes until gold brown and set
Test with point of a knife inserted in centre. It should come out clean
Stand for 10 minutes before serving
Serve warm with cream or ice cream (we had ours cold and it was fine)



My version of impossible pie turned out a little less eggy and a little more cakey than the previous recipe I’d used but it was definitely more lemony. Next time I might add a tad more lemon juice and see if that alters the consistency too much. I served it with fresh strawberries and blueberries and some Kapiti Lemon Meringue Pie flavoured icecream on the side. Kapiti’s Lemon Meringue Pie icecream won the supreme award at the 2006 New Zealand Ice Cream Awards (I didn't even know there were such awards) and I can see why it won as it was the perfect balance of rich creaminess and tangy lemon flavour. I hope they keep it as a regular flavour.

Our neighbours are passionate gardeners and they have a lovely outlook over the golf course. Imagine having this view from your kitchen/dining windows – isn’t it peaceful.