What could be more Southern than a chess pie made with tea?
The top of the pie will darken during baking; don’t be alarmed. Pat the dough in evenly and in a thin layer for more even browning, building up a top crust to hold the filling and discarding excess. Don’t overfill the pie, and if in doubt, place a tray underneath it during baking to catch any spills. For the crust: 3 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour For the filling: 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 2 cups granulated sugar Zest of 1 lemon 8 egg yolks 3/4 cup warm, strong orange pekoe tea (standard tea bags) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cornmeal To prepare the crust: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until well-combined. Add flour and mix at low speed until dough forms a ball. Pat dough evenly and thinly into a 9-inch pie pan, building up a thicker top edge. Place pie shell in freezer while preparin
