There are several styles of lemon icebox pie: you could bake, then refrigerate the pie, then top the lemon filling with meringue. You could use gelatin or cream cheese for a no-bake pie. Or you could start off with an easy pie crust made from saltines, gingersnaps, or vanilla wafers.

　　This old-fashioned lemon ice box pie recipe is based on the one served at Clancy's, a neighborhood restaurant in New Orleans. The pie filling is made with sweetened condensed milk, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, and it sports a classic graham cracker crust with melted butter. (Want to really go all out? Make your own crackers.) The pie is baked, cooled, and frozen right in the pie pan, which lends itself to a sherbet-like texture. Chef David Guas says this easy pie is “simple and quick, plus it keeps in the freezer for over a week; it's a great dessert to make ahead for a dinner party.” He also notes that “for a creamier key lime pie-style texture, you can leave the pie out at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.”

　　The garnish for this luscious lemon dessert is crème chantilly—also known as sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla. Pile a big mound in the center while the pie is still in the pie plate, or dollop each slice as you serve.

　　

Ingredients

Makes one 9-inch pie

　　

For the crust:

14 whole graham crackers

　　¼ cup sugar

　　¼ teaspoon salt

　　6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and still warm

　　

For the filling:

2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

　　1¼ cups strained lemon juice (from the 2 zested lemons below plus an additional 4–6)

　　Zest of 2 lemons

　　8 large egg yolks

　　

For the chantilly cream:

2 cups heavy cream

　　½ teaspoon vanilla extract

　　¼ cup confectioners' sugar

　　

To make the crust:

Step 1

Heat the oven to 325°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, 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.

　　

To make the filling:

Step 2

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.

　　

Step 3

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 (be careful not to let the plastic wrap touch the top of the pie) and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

　　

To make the chantilly cream:

Step 4

Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of 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, about 1½ minutes.

　　

Step 5

Before serving, 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. Fill a pitcher with hot water, dunk your knife in, 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.

　　Reprinted with permission from DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style by David Guas and Raquel Pelzel, © November 2009 Taunton Press. Buy the full book from Amazon.