Cajun Lemon Sweet Dough Pies

Ingredients
Sweet Dough: Filling:
 * 5 cups all-purpose flour
 * 2 teaspoons baking powder
 * 1/2 teaspoon salt
 * 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
 * 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
 * 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
 * 2 large eggs
 * 2/3 cup milk
 * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 * 1/2 cup granulated sugar
 * 2 tablespoons cornstarch
 * 1/8 teaspoon salt
 * 1/2 cup water
 * 1/4 cup milk
 * 2 large egg yolks
 * 2 teaspoon unsalted butter
 * 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
 * 1 teaspoon lemon zest. grated

Directions

 * 1) Make sweet dough:
 * 2) Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
 * 3) In bowl of a standing electric mixer beat butter, shortening, and Sugar until light and fluffy.
 * 4) Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in milk and vanilla extract (batter will appear curdled).
 * 5) With mixer on low speed beat in flour mixture, a little at a time, until it forms a dough.
 * 6) Halve dough and form each piece into a disk.
 * 7) Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 3 hours.
 * 8) Cut twenty-four 6-inch squares of wax paper.
 * 9) Roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into 12-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
 * 10) Cut out 6 rounds with a 5-inch round cutter, sandwiching each round between 2 squares of wax paper, and stack on a baking sheet.
 * 11) If dough becomes to soft to work with, transfer it to a baking sheet and chill until firm.
 * 12) Roll out and cut remaining piece of dough in same manner, sandwiching rounds between remaining squares of wax paper, and stack on baking sheet.
 * 13) Chill rounds until firm and wrap each stack carefully with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
 * 14) Dough may be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
 * 15) Make filling:
 * 16) In a heavy saucepan whisk together Sugar, cornstarch, and salt and gradually whisk in water and milk until cornstarch is dissolved.
 * 17) In a bowl whisk together yolks.
 * 18) Cook milk mixture over moderate heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil.
 * 19) Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup hot milk mixture into yolks and whisk yolk mixture into remaining hot milk mixture.
 * 20) Bring custard to a slow boil, whisking, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, lemon juice, and zest until butter is melted.
 * 21) Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap.
 * 22) Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
 * 23) Do not stir filling or it will break down.
 * 24) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
 * 25) Discard top square of wax paper from 1 dough round and spoon 1 tablespoon filling onto center of round.
 * 26) Using wax paper fold dough over to form a half circle, enclosing filling, and press edges together lightly.
 * 27) Transfer pie to baking sheet, discarding paper, and crimp edge with a fork.
 * 28) Prick pie with fork once. Make 11 more pies with remaining dough rounds and filling.
 * 29) Bake pies in 2 batches in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until golden brown around edges (dough will crack open slightly), and transfer to racks to cool.
 * 30) Pies may be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
 * 31) Serve pies chilled or at room temperature (do not let pies stand more than 30 minutes at room temperature).