Shelly's Recipe

SOUR CREAM LEMON PIE

Category: Pies - Cream and Custard

Graham cracker crust
11/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter, melted

Cream cheese layer
12 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Knox gelatin
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla

Lemon topping
11/2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
5 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
4 egg yolks, beaten
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

For the crust: Mix all crust ingredients together and press into a 9-inch greased pie pan. Bake at 375 for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

For the cream cheese layer: Combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and salt in a medium-size saucepan and cook over very low heat stirring constantly until mixture starts to boil lightly.

Mix gelatin with water and dissolve. When dissolved, add to cream cheese mixture along with vanilla and stir well. Cook until mixture reaches a light boil, and cook for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat and cool. When it is lukewarm, layer cream cheese mixture onto crust and refrigerate until cooled.

For lemon topping: Place water, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt and lemon peel in a saucepan and whisk until mixture comes to a boil at medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes until thick.

Pour half of the hot mixture into beaten egg slowly, and stir constantly. When the egg mixture is completely blended, pour into the hot pudding, stir and cook until the pudding reaches boiling stage. Stir and let boil slowly for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add butter and vanilla and stir. Set aside until cool. When lemon mixture reaches room temperature, gently smooth it over the cream cheese mixture and chill for several hours before serving. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired.