Orange Cream Pie

This orange cream pie is the citrus pie that flies under the radar against its more famous lemon meringue cousin. Fresh orange juice with a kick of lemon for brightness cooks into a thick, glossy custard in a double boiler, then pours into a baked pie shell topped with both fresh orange segments and a billowy meringue. The double boiler is the move that defines the texture; gentle indirect heat keeps the custard silky and stops the cornstarch from forming gummy lumps that direct heat would create.

Lemon juice is more than a flavor accent here. The acid balances the orange’s natural sweetness so the filling doesn’t taste flat, and it sharpens the cornstarch’s setting power. Three tablespoons might seem like a lot, but the orange juice swallows the lemon flavor and leaves only the brightness behind. Tempering the egg yolks (streaming a small amount of hot custard into them while whisking) is what keeps them from scrambling. Skip this step and you get yellow scrambled bits in the filling.

Pro Tips

• Remove all membrane from fresh orange segments. The white pith is bitter and ruins each bite where it lands.
• Cool the custard slightly before pouring into the shell. Boiling-hot custard turns the bottom crust soggy.
• Spread the meringue all the way to the crust edge. Sealing prevents the topping from shrinking and weeping during baking.
• Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt before adding sugar; the salt stabilizes the foam for taller, glossier peaks.

Variations

• Use blood orange juice for a more dramatic color and a slightly more complex flavor profile.
• Swap the meringue for whipped cream and skip the bake; keep the pie chilled instead.
• Add a teaspoon of grated orange zest to the custard for an even more aromatic citrus note.