Lemon ice box pie facts for kids
Lemon ice box pie with raspberry sorbet and raspberry sauce
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| Type | Pie |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Main ingredients | Pie crust (graham crackers, butter), lemon juice, eggs, condensed milk |
A lemon ice box pie is a yummy dessert that's often chilled instead of baked. It's made with lemon juice, eggs, and condensed milk. These ingredients are poured into a pie crust, which is often made from graham crackers and butter. This pie is a bit like Key lime pie. In both pies, the sourness from the citrus fruit helps to thicken the egg yolks, so they don't need much baking. Some versions don't need any baking at all!
History of No-Bake Desserts
No-bake desserts, like the lemon ice box pie, first became popular in American cuisine during the 1930s. They became even more common in the 1950s and 1960s. This was because more and more homes started to have refrigerators. These cold appliances made it easy to chill and set desserts without an oven. Lemon ice box pies are a special part of the food traditions in the cuisine of the Southern United States.
In 1936, a recipe for a stovetop lemon ice box pie was shared. It involved mixing flour, cornstarch, and sugar in a special pot called a double boiler. Water was slowly added to make a smooth batter. Then, butter was stirred in. Egg yolks were added and cooked briefly. After taking it off the heat, lemon zest and juice were mixed in. Whipped egg whites were then gently folded into the mixture. This cool filling was poured into a pie dish. The dish was lined with ladyfingers or vanilla wafers. The pie was then chilled in the refrigerator. Before serving, it was topped with whipped cream.
How to Make Lemon Ice Box Pie
Making a lemon ice box pie is quite fun! First, you whisk together sweetened condensed milk with fresh lemon juice and cream cheese. In a separate bowl, you whisk egg yolks with lemon zest until they turn a light yellow color. Then, you slowly add the condensed milk mixture to the eggs.
The pie crust is often made from vanilla wafers. These are crushed and mixed with melted butter and sugar. This mix feels like wet sand. You press it into a pie pan to form the crust. The crust is usually baked lightly before the filling goes in.
After the crust is ready, you pour in the lemon filling. The pie is then baked gently, or sometimes not at all! It needs to chill in the refrigerator for several hours to set properly. Before you serve it, you can add fresh whipped cream on top. You can even flavor the whipped cream with a little lemon zest for extra zing!
The old-fashioned no-bake pies used raw eggs. People used to think the lemon juice "cooked" the eggs. However, today, it's safer to briefly heat raw egg yolks on the stovetop. This makes sure they are safe to eat.
You can also make no-bake versions of this pie without any eggs. These pies are described as "light and delicate in flavor." They can be made with just three simple ingredients: condensed milk, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice.
See also
In Spanish: Tarta ice box para niños
