Mix the
graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together in the bottom
of a 9" pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let
cool until crust is slightly warm to the touch.
Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.
While the
crust is cooling, prepare the filling. Warm buttermilk slightly (no
more than 120F) and add saffron. Let buttermilk saffron steep for 10
minutes.
Blend egg
yolks, eggs, saffron buttermilk, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and
salt together in large bowl using an electric mixer until smooth. Keep
mixer running and slowly add flour, then butter.
Pour filling into crust
and bake until filling is set around the edge but middle is still
wiggly, about 55-65 minutes.
Rotate pie halfway through baking and cover
the edges with foil if the pie starts to brown too much.
Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavor deepen a bit more. Serve with fresh whipped cream, if desired.
Recipe Note
Alternate recipe: Substitute lime or
orange for a different citrus flavor. If you're a fan of citrus and
chocolate, try making the crust with chocolate graham crackers.
