Monday 28 March 2016

Lemon cream pie



Sometimes, I can be sceptical about recipes if they look too simple.  This was such a recipe and gosh was I wrong!  Firstly, it’s no bake so is super quick to make; secondly, it has few ingredients and thirdly, it requires no skill or techniques whatsoever.  Win-win-win!
The texture of this is amazing – it is the softest, lightest, smoothest texture I can recall.  Imagine a whipped mousse crossed with a cloud and you’d be getting there!  The lightness of texture offsets the richness so it’s actually deceptive; I could quite easily have been on my second slice before I realised how creamy it was!




The basic method could be adapted to any citrus fruit – it’s the acid from the fruit you need to set the cream.  It worked very well with lemon because the fresh zing balanced the richness of the cream.  The gingernut base gives an extra flavour too.




Just about the perfect dessert for a lazy holiday weekend.  It keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge so you can just cut slices as they’re required (makes a refreshing change from all the chocolate!).  I know that I will also adapt this recipe to build it in a glass too – the creamy filling was light enough to work with that style presentation.





Ingredients

225g gingernut biscuits
115ml unsalted butter, at room temperature
300ml double cream
265g condensed milk
Juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon


Method

Blitz the gingernuts in a food processor.

Add the butter (no need to melt it if you’re using a processor) and blitz again until you have the texture of clumpy damp sand.

Press into the bottom of a 20cm loose bottomed flan dish and press a little up the sides too.

Refrigerate while you make the filling.

Whip the cream until it reaches the soft peaks stage.

Fold in the condensed milk, lemon juice and zest.

Spoon into the biscuit base and spread out.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.


Eat. 

18 comments:

Janine said...

Sounds great, and I love how easy it is to make!

United Cakedom said...

I love a good cream pie! Made even better by the lemon! Perfect pie for a picnic or a summery treat!

Mikey said...

Lovely looking. sadly i'm allergic to all citrus :( I wonder if it would work with elderflower cordial? I've used that a few times for drizzle cakes

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Mikey

It might well work - maybe allow extra chilling time just to make sure?

Happy (no) baking!!!

Katie said...

This is an old family favourite!
My mum calls it lemon & ginger crunch pie. Its amazing how so few ingredients can taste so good. Your's looks so tall.

Anonymous said...

Love the idea and how it turned out. Almost whole year lemons in our garden, so sure to try it!

Gloria Baker said...

I love this lemon Pie, I love lemon !!!

Millymollymandy said...

This sounds really interesting - it's basically my cheesecake recipe minus the cream cheese. I wish you'd posted this a few weeks back as I always make cheesecake for my hubby 's birthday, but guess who forgot to buy the cream cheese?! I could have made this recipe instead! (he got lemon yoghurt cake instead). :-)

Maggie said...

I think we also used to call this lemon and ginger crunch pie and I remember it tasting so very good too.

Gluten Free Alchemist said...

Mmmmm. Lemon and ginger is such a lush combo! The crunch of the base with the fluffiness of the mousse sounds divine! Hope you had a great Easter xx

Angie's Recipes said...

I love delicious recipes with just a few simple ingredients and this is the one! The tart looks incredible!

Choclette said...

I'm a fan of simple too and I love how lemons set cream - it's a bit like a lemon posset on a biscuit base - sounds fab.

Snooky doodle said...

I really like your blog. nice recipes :)

Cakeyboi said...

The addition of condensed milk has me sold! Love the stuff (I used to dunk marshmallows in it and eat them, bit of a guilty pleasure of mine...)

Cakelaw said...

Yum - just yum. Gotta love a lemon cream pie.

Snowy said...

That looks so good, and easy to make with no baking. Great flavours - ginger and lemon.

Lee said...

Hi CC,
Firstly let me say I love your site, there are so many great things to choose to make it's almost too difficult. I love your down to earth approach to the site and your sense of humour. Was definitely chuckling along when reading the recipe.

The images are great too, I love the storyboard going from the 'revered' whole pie which became quickly chopped and a slice procured, right down to the last shot with an impatient nibble out of the forkful.

I also like the fact you drop in little 'reasons why' into the recipe, like the citric acid in the lemon reacts with the cream to set it. A nice touch and a subtle hint to remind you if you don't use or try to omit the lemon juice you may end up with a creamy biscuity drink rather than a tasty dessert.

I am a huge fan of baking and have a sweet tooth too so I will definitely be here often trying out the great selection of delights to make. Thanks again CC for an amazing site.

The Caked Crusader said...

Thanks Lee for your lovely comment - hope you find lots to bake!