Fluffy Lemon Creamy Pie Thing

This dish is actually known as “Dairyman’s Delight” but that seemed a little sketchy to use as a title. So obviously I went with something equally vague and sketchy of my own devising. Way to go Ali. I think in essence it’s a lemon chiffon pie of sorts, but having never had one, I could be wrong. Either way, this is a good way for me to use up extra cream cheese, condensed milk, and gelatin that I have hanging around.

In a bowl, stir together 1 cup whipping cream with 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and let that stand for about 10 minutes.

In another bowl, plop 1 8oz (250g) package plain cream cheese. I find that the closer to room temperature the cream cheese is, the smoother it ends up being. Give it a bit of a beating to even it out. I confess here I wasn’t as diligent about my mashing and room temperature-ing as I should have been. Sue me.

Gradually beat 1 can sweetened condensed milk into the cream cheese mixture. Leave that alone for a few minutes so you can do other things.

Sprinkle 1 envelope (2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavoured gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water in a heatproof bowl. Let that sit for 5 minutes (you can do this first so it sits while you beat up your cream cheese and stuff).

Once it’s sat for a while and bloomed, set the heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (or sit it in a sink of hot water) and stir until it’s all dissolved and incorporated.

Now, whip that lemon-cream mixture (that has been waiting so patiently for you) until it starts to stiffen.

Pour that creamy goodness into your cream cheesy goodness and continue to beat until it’s all well-blended. Stir in your gelatin as well as 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Pour the whole thing into a 10″ deep dish graham cracker pie crust (I bought this from Sobeys but you could make your own) and chill until firm, at least 2 hours. My pie pan wasn’t deep dish, but the filling has enough structure that you can kind of mound it into a little hill on top and it will stay.