Joan's Frozen Lemon Mousse

Joan's Frozen Lemon Mousse
Source: Maida Heatter's Pies & Tarts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1997), pg. 246 and Maida Heatter's New Book of Great Desserts (Knopf, 1982), pg. 447.

This delicious dessert is easy but it helps to have everything you need ready in advance. You will need your mixer bowl 3 separate times. The bowls and beaters should be chilled for whipping the heavy cream and I usually chill my bowl for the egg whites as well. The recipe calls for the crust to be pressed up the sides of the pan which, as you can see in the photos, I forgot to do. This caused the base of the crust to be very thick. 

One of Michael's all-time favorite desserts is a simple frozen pie made with frozen lemonade mixed with whipped cream in a graham cracker crust. This dessert reminded me of that one but perhaps not as tart. You will need to make it a day ahead or you can make it up to 2 weeks in advance.

(In case you are wondering who Joan is, she is Joan Borinstein, a friend of M.H.)

Crust
1 12 oz. box vanilla wafers
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Butter the sides only of an 8 x 3 inch springform pan. 

Place vanilla wafers in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade

Pulse the wafers into fine crumbs. Melt the butter and add it to the crumbs; mix thoroughly until completely blended

Use about 1/4 of the mixture at a time and press firmly on the bottom and sides of the pan. (I did not do this correctly, see my intro notes above)

Filling

4 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (grate the rinds before squeezing)

Finely grated rind of 3 or 4 lemons

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Beat the egg yolks until they are pale.

Add 1/4 cup of the sugar (reserving the remaining 3/4 cup). Beat at high speed for a minute or two.

On low speed, gradually add the lemon juice, scraping the bowl and beating only until smooth.

Stir in the grated lemon rind

In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the salt until they hold a soft shape.Reduce the speed to moderate and gradually add the reserved 3/4 cup of sugar, adding only 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time. Increase the speed to high again and continue to beat until the whites and sugar become thick and marshmallow-like. Do not beat until stiff. Set aside.


In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, whip the heavy cream until it holds a firm shape but not until it is stiff. (It helps to have lots of mixing bowls to make this!)

In several small additions fold the yolks into the whites. Then, in several additions, fold the yolks and whites into the whipped cream.

Pour into the crumb-lined pan.

Smooth the top. Freeze for a few hours until firm. Then cover airtight with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze overnight or up to 2 weeks.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 381.

Very easy to make and very delicious, especially if you love chocolate. It has to be refrigerated for a few hours or preferably overnight to set up. I didn't have any luck getting it to slice attractively so I did not get a "serving shot". 

Crust

1 1/4 cups graham crumbs
1 TBS sugar
3 oz. (3/4 stick) butter, melted

Adjust rack to center of oven and preheat to 350. Mix the crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a large bowl (you can use a fork or spoon to do the mixing). Turn into a 9-inch pie plate. Use your fingertips to spread the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom and sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool, then chill.

Filling
3 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Melt both chocolates in the top of a double boiler over warm water over moderate heat. I have found this is the best method for melting chocolate. I've never had success melting it in the microwave. I first bring the water to a boil (before putting the pan of chocolate over it) and then lower the heat to the lowest setting. I then place the pan of chocolate in place and let it melt slowly. After it has melted, set is aside to cool.

Beat the cream cheese until smooth. If the cream cheese is still cold, this is not easily done. It is best to let the cream cheese sit at room temperature in advance. If you forget to do that (or decide to bake at the spur of the moment - this happens to me quite a lot!), you can soften it by using the microwave. However, do this carefully and by small increments of time. You don't want runny cream cheese!

Add the salt, sugar and vanilla, and mix well. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the chocolate, mixing well.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand until cool. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

You can serve the pie as is or you can add this topping (I didn't do this):

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS confectioners sugar
2 bananas

In a small chilled bowl with chilled beaters whip the cream with the vanilla and sugar until the cream holds a shape. Place eight large spoonfuls of the cream around the edge of the pie.
Just before serving, slice the bananas on a sharp angle forming eight long slices. Place one slice of banana standing on its edge in each mound of whipped cream.