Lemon Cream Dessert

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min. + cooling

Makes

24 servings

Updated: Oct. 01, 2022
My friend Mary and I enjoy coming up with innovative menus to try out on our husbands at our weekly Saturday night dinners. We combined 60-plus years of culinary experience to concoct this easy yet yummy layered lemon dessert. Our spouses loved it. -Laurel Adams, Danville, Kentucky

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1-1/2 cups cold water
  • 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 3 tablespoons butter, cubed
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • CRUST:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup cold butter
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 cups cold whole milk
  • 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 carton (16 ounces) frozen whipped topping thawed

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and lemon zest. Gently stir in lemon juice. Refrigerate until cool.
  2. In a bowl, combine flour and nuts. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
  3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth; carefully spread over crust. Spread with cooled lemon mixture. In another bowl, beat milk and pudding mixes on low for 2 minutes; beat in vanilla. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over lemon layer. Spread with remaining whipped topping. Chill for at least 4 hours before cutting.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 311 calories, 16g fat (9g saturated fat), 49mg cholesterol, 133mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.