Southern Lemon Ice Box Pie
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 14 whole graham crckers
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tsp unsalted butter, melted and still warm
For the Filling
- 2 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/4 cups strained lemon juice (Use the zested lemons and an additional 4-6 if large or 6-8 if small
- zest of 2 lemons
- 8 large egg yolks (you can freeze the whites for later)
For the Chantilly Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
For the crust:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Break the graham crackers into small pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor along with the sugar and salt. Pulse 8 times or so until the cracker crumbs are semi-fine (they shouldn't be powdery but not in large shards either) and the crackers and sugar are combined. Pour in the butter and pulse until the butter is blended in and the mixture isn't crumbly and holds its shape when you squeeze it, about twelve 1 second pulses. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch springform pan and push and press the crumb mixture into the bottom and two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust into place. Set Aside.
For the filling:
- Whisk the condensed milk with the lemon juice and set aside. Whisk the zest with the egg yolks in a medium bowl until pale, 30 to 60 seconds, and then whisk in the lemon juice - condensed milk mixture. Place the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet, pour the mixture into the crust, and carefully transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Bake until the center jiggles slightly, like a soft-setting custard, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 1 hour on a cooling rack. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap being careful not to let the plastic wrap touch the top of the pie and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
For the Chantilly Cream:
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl f a stand mixer or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer. Add the vanilla and sift in the confectioners' sugar. Whip on low speed to combine and then increase the speed to medium-high and whip until medium,-stiff peaks form.
To Serve
- Wrap a wet, warm kitchen towel around the edges of the springform pan to release the pie from the pan's sides. Unclasp the pan and remove the pie. Dunk your knife in hot water, wipe off the blade and slice. Top with a dollop of Chantilly cream and serve immediately, or keep in the freezer for up to 1 week.