Ingredients
Saltine Cracker Crust
- 1 1/2 cups (1 sleeve) saltine crackers
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Lemonade Cream Pie Filling
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese (must be soft at room temperature)
- 6 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 6 drops pink food color (optional)
- Zest of 2 lemons (no white bitter pith)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin
- 2 tablespoons water
Finish
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut flakes (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Crush crackers in a food processor or underneath a rolling pin. Do not make it all fine, some larger pieces are desired. Mix with melted butter and sugar. Press on bottom and sides of a deep dish 9.5-inch pie pan.
- Place in oven for 11-12 minutes. Set aside.
- In a cold bowl whip first listed whipping cream to soft-medium peaks and set aside.
- In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients combine cream cheese with first listed sugar. Mix gently as vigorously mixing makes cream cheese liquid. Once well combined and mixture is lump free, add one fourth of sweetened condensed milk. Once well combined add another one fourth and keep repeating until all is incorporated. Add food color.
- In a small saucepan heat lemon zest and lemon juice. Boil for 1 minute, this step is important as lemon juice contains an enzyme which weakens gelatin. Remove from heat.
- Mix gelatin with water and set aside for 2 minutes. Whisk into still hot lemon juice.
- Add to cream cheese mixture and mix until smooth.
- Fold in soft-medium whipped whipping cream.
- Make certain that pie crust is completely cold. If needed, place in freezer for 2 minutes.
- Scrape lemon filling into crust and place in refrigerator.
- Whip remaining cream and sugar to firm peaks and using a star tip fitted in a pastry bag pipe rosettes on pie.
- Sprinkle with coconut.