Sour Cream Lemon Pie

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

I love lemon in any fashion, be it in candy, cookies, bars or pie. This sour cream and lemon pie is so creamy and delicious; I used Meyer lemons for a sweeter, less tart lemon flavor, but using common Eureka lemons will make a pie that is just as delicious.

Sour Cream Lemon Pie

adapted from Inside NanaBread’s Head

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup sour cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
One 8″ pie shell

Directions:
Bake your pie crust and let it cool completely.

Add first five ingredients to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until thick, whisking frequently. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until well incorporated. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water large enough to hold the saucepan. Place saucepan in ice water, adding additional ice as needed. Stir occasionally until mixture cools completely. Whisk in the sour cream.

Pour into your pre-baked pie crust and refrigerate at least two hours.

Prior to serving prepare whipped cream and top pie as desired.

For the whipped cream topping:

Pour 2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. (for best results, chill the bowl and the beater before using). Add 2 tablespoons sugar. Start on low and gradually increase speed to medium high. (8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer) The cream will start to thicken and soft peaks will form. Continue until the cream stands in stiff, sharp peaks. This only takes a few minutes; watch the cream closely and do not over whip or you might end up with butter.  Add whipped cream to a piping bag with decorative tip and pipe decorative swirls onto the pie as you wish. I used a large Wilton tip. For best results, do not use ultra-pasteurized whipping cream.  I find that using a whipped cream stabilizer helps the whipped cream hold up longer.

Serves 8. Keep refrigerated.

Lemon Cream Pie 2

Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tart

Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tart
No Bake Lemon Curd Cheesecake Tart

I borrowed the gingersnap crust from my Cutie Pie recipe for this delightfully tangy, creamy, lemon dessert. Only the crust needs to be briefly baked to set, so I still consider this a “no bake” recipe.

Gingersnap Crust (adapted from Martha Stewart)
1 3/4 cups gingersnap crumbs (about 40 cookies, I used Archway)
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 stick melted butter
9 inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add cookies to bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs.

Transfer cookie crumbs to a medium sized mixing bowl and add brown sugar, flour, melted butter,and salt. Mix well.

Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom and up the sides of the pan. Transfer tart pan to a foil lined baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling;
1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice plus zest from lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1-10.5 ounce jar lemon curd

Directions:
Beat cream cheese at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into cooled crust. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until set. Once set, spread lemon curd evenly on top. Pipe or cover with fresh whipped cream and additional lemon zest, if desired and return to refrigerator until ready to serve.

For topping you will need:
1 to 1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream.
2 tablespoons granulated or powdered sugar.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Whip cream stabilizer (optional)

To make the whipped topping, chill mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 1 hour. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer. You’ll need 1 to 1- 1/2 cups very cold heavy cream. 1 cup makes about 2 cups whipped cream. If piping the topping I suggest you increase to 1 and 1/2 cups. Avoid ultra pasteurized cream, it is harder to whip and doesn’t hold it’s shape for very long. I suggest using a stabilizer; your topping will hold up longer. Pour cream into chilled mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Start out a slow speed and gradually increase to high as the cream thickens. Slow down when soft peaks form; this will happen quickly- do not over beat or it will lose volume and become butter.

Lemon curd cheesecake slice2

Easy Banana Cream Tart

Banana Creme Pie

Use store bought cookie dough and instant pudding mix for a dessert that’s fast, easy and super delicious!

Easy Banana Cream Tart

1 roll Pillsbury sugar cookie dough

1 3.4 oz box instant Jello French Vanilla or Banana Cream pudding mix

1 1/2 cups half and half

1/4 cup skim, 1 or 2% milk

2 medium bananas

1- 8 oz container heavy whipping cream (*see note)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup toasted almond slivers (optional)

Whipping cream stabilizer (optional)

8 or 9 inch tart pan with removable bottom

Form cookie dough into a ball, then press into a disc. Roll out into an 11 inch circle, carefully line tart pan with cookie dough. Press dough up the side of the pan, trim excess and discard. Place tart pan on a cookie sheet and move to refrigerator to keep cold while oven preheats. Tip- dough is easiest to work with if kept cold. Roll out on a sheet of wax paper. Put tart pan upside down on center of dough circle, pick up wax paper by edges, then flip over.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, add half and half, milk and pudding mix. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed about 5 minutes or until set. Cover and refrigerate.

Move tart pan on cookie sheet to oven. Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven and prick with a fork to let steam escape dough. Return to oven and bake 4 minutes, dough will be puffy. Prick again and use bottom of a small measuring cup to press down center of dough. Return to oven and bake 4-6 minutes until edges are very lightly brown. Remove from oven, press center down again, if needed. Move tart pan to wire rack to cool.

When cookie dough is completely cooled, it is ready to fill. Cover bottom of crust with 2 sliced bananas. Top with pudding and spread evenly to cover. Return to refrigerator while you make the whipped cream.

For the whipped cream:

Pour 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. (for best results, chill the bowl and the beater before using). Add 1 tablespoon sugar. I also like to use a whipping cream stabilizer, which helps keep the whip cream stiff with out separating. I use a product called “Whip it” by Dr. Oetker, but this is totally optional. Start on low and gradually increase speed to medium high. (8 on a KitchenAid stand mixer) The cream will start to thicken and soft peaks will form. Continue until the cream stands in stiff, sharp peaks. This only takes a few minutes; watch the cream closely and do not over whip or you might end up with butter.   Add whipped cream to a piping bag with decorative tip and pipe decorative swirls onto the tart as you wish. I used Wilton large tip 6B. *Note: If you don’t want to pipe the cream and prefer just to cover the top of the tart with it, increase the amount of cream to 1 and 1/2 cups and add another tablespoon of sugar.

For the almonds, warm a small non-stick pan over low heat. Add almonds and toast for about 4 minutes stirring often. Watch closely so not to burn. Remove from heat and cool.

Remove tart from refrigerator and top with whipped cream and almond slivers, if desired. Cut and serve. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Banana creme pie 2