Shelly's Recipe

CREAMY LEMON SQUARES

Category: Layered Desserts

Crust
12 lemon creme-filled sandwich cookies, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 lemon

Filling
2 lemons
1 (2.9 oz) pkg lemon cook and serve pudding and pie filling (not instant)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups water, divided
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp butter
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) containter whipped topping, thawed and divided

Lightly spray a springform pan with cooking spray. Combine crust ingredients and and press into bottom of pan. Cut 6 thin slices of lemon; cut each slice in half. Place lemon halves against inside colar of pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Filling:
Zest lemons to measure 1 1/2 tsp zest and juice the lemons to get 1/4 cup juice. Combine pudding mix, sugar, 1/4 cup water and egg yolks in a small saucepan; stir until blended. Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil; remove from heat. Set aside 1/2 cup of pudding; cool slightly. Whisk butter and lemon juice in remaining pudding in saucepan; cool 15 minutes, stirring twice.

Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar; mix well. Whisk in reserved 1/2 cup lemon pudding and 1 tsp lemon zest. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping; spread over crust.

Stir remaining pudding mixture and spoon evenly over cream cheese filling. Refrigerate at least 6 hours. Run sides of pan with a knife; release collar with pan. Garnish with remaining whipped topping and lemon zest. Cut into wedges.