Lemon Cream Icebox Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter, very soft

3 cups  cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 2 tbsp zest and 1/3 cup juice)

25 to 30 graham crackers, from about 4 sleeves

1 cup lemon curd, slightly warmed, divided*

Lemon Curd

Makes 21/2 cups (600 ml). Gluten-free.

1/2 cup  unsalted butter, very soft

1 cup  sugar

3 to 4 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup juice)

5 large eggs

How-to

Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer) until soft and whipped. Beat in the sugar and the lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Whip in the lemon juice and continue to whip until it is incorporated (the mixture may look curdled at this point, which is normal). Pour the curd into a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and whisking occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the curd thickens and coats the back of a spoon. (If you have a candy thermometer and want to track the temperature, the curd will thicken at about 170°F / 77°C.) Don’t let the mixture boil, as this will create lumps. If it does boil, however, you can strain the finished curd through a fine-mesh sieve. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer), whip the butter until very soft. Gradually whip in the cream. When it has been smoothly combined with the butter, add the sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Whip until the cream forms firm peaks, then slowly beat in the lemon juice. Continue beating until completely combined. The cream should still hold soft peaks.

Smear a small spoonful of the lemon cream in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish. Lay down a layer of graham crackers and spoon 3/4 to 1 cup (180 to 240 ml) of the whipped cream over the top. Drizzle with 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the lemon curd. Repeat three more times, finishing with a top layer of whipped cream. (You will have four layers of graham crackers, and four layers of whipped cream.)

Drizzle the final 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon curd over the top of the cake in three straight lines, then draw a knife through these lines perpendicularly, creating a streaked checkerboard pattern.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours, until the crackers have softened to a cakelike texture (test this by inserting a thin knife along the side and bringing up a few crumbs). This can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time, but it is best consumed within a day or two, as it will get soggy if it sits too long.

- See more at: http://badpin.us/chilled-out-desserts-recipe