There are no words except...Lemon-gasm

You can thank my good friend Kristina for christening my latest concoction. I was going to call it Frozen Lemon Mousse Pucker Pie but according to her that name just didn't convey what she says is "off-the-hook yummy!"
What makes this dessert so special you ask? Well, maybe it's the fact that it's frozen. Or maybe it's because it looks perplexing. "Is that cheesecake?" most of my coworkers asked as they eagerly anticipated a slice. "Nope, not cheesecake," I said with a smile.

Or perhaps it's the fact that when you open your mouth and take that first bite, your taste buds are so pleasantly overwhelmed by the ultra creamy, intensely luscious, pucker-inducing flavor, you can't help but close your eyes, smile an impish little grin, and curl your toes just a little. Yeah... I'm pretty sure that's it. :)

Frozen Lemon-gasm Cake
Yield: 8 large servings. I made 1 1/2 recipes and used a 10" springform pan and was able to get about 25 small servings out of it.
adapted from Desserts Magazine


7-8 medium lemons, preferably organic if you can find them
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs yolks plus 4 large whole eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1-1/2 sticks or 6oz), cut into pieces
1-1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled (not ultra-pasteurized if you can find it)*

Scrub the lemons with hot soapy water. Rinse really well and dry completely. Zest all of the lemons, being careful to avoid the pith (the white part that live right below the yellow part of the lemon).

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and the lemon zest. Work the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy and very aromatic. Set aside.

Juice the lemons, reserving at least 1 cup but no more than 1 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Strain the juice through a sieve to remove the pulp and any seeds.

Combine the lemon zesty sugar, the lemon juice, and the eggs into a sauce pan. Whisk over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Be careful not to boil the curd! And don't even think of walking away from the stove for even a second! Mixture will thicken and you'll know it's ready when it's temperature is 165F and it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove it from the heat, add the butter and whisk until the butter is all melted and incorporated. Pour the curd through a wire sieve into a glass bowl. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and promptly refrigerate, stirring periodically until it's totally cool, for at least 1 hour or for as long as 3 days.

Place 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream in large chilled mixing bowl; whip using a whisk attachment until *soft* peaks form (this only takes about 45 seconds with a stand mixer so be careful!). Reserve 1/2 cup lemon curd for sauce; add remaining lemon curd to whipped cream. Fold gently until well combined.

Pour the mousse in an 8-inch springform pan and cover using plastic wrap. Place in the freezer until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the mousse from the freezer.

When you're ready to serve: Spread a thin layer of the reserved lemon curd on the top of the frozen mousse. Rub a hot, wet towel around the outside of the pan to as to slightly slightly melt the mousse. Run a knife around the mousse and remove sides of the springform pan. Cut the pie with a knife that has been dipped in hot water. Be sure to wipe the knife down after each slice. Place a slice of the mousse on the plate, garnish with whipped cream or raspberry coulis ( both optional).

* If you're lucky enough to live in Washington, please try to find organic heavy whipping cream from the Fresh Breeze Organic Dairy. I found it at Central Market but it's available at PCC, all Hagen's, and Top Food stores. Seriously they have the very best whipping cream I've ever had in my life. It's so good that you don't have to add vanilla or sugar to it. It's simply beautiful!