Recipe #113: Lemon Sour Cream Parfait with Baked Graham Cracker Crumble

I guess if chocolate left the world, my next go to would be anything made with lemon.  I find it so refreshing, clean, light...even if it's a cake.  This recipe is great for a summer dessert, and even though the wine glasses I put them in are filled to the brim, they go down 1, 2, 3.  It's light and creamy, tart and sweet, with a crunch from the graham cracker on the top and in the middle.  This lemon curd could easily go in a graham cracker crust if you wanted to, and you could use the whipped cream to top the pie with, but sometimes I like to go out of the box with a pie, and hence, these parfaits.  They are a show stopper, and you will be an absolute rock star with all of your guests.  Now, let's cook...

1 cup sugar                                                              3 tbsp cornstarch
5 tbsp grated lemon peel (6-7 lemons)                   1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks                                                              1 cup 2% milk
1/4 butter, cut up (4 tbsp)                                        1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crushed graham crackers                           1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar                                                             1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted butter                                                1 tsp sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup sugar, cornstarch and lemon peel.  Stir in the lemon juice, egg yolks and milk until blended.  Add the butter.  Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more, makin sure the custard doesn't burn.  Cover the surface of the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.   In the meantime, mix graham crackers, melted butter and sugar.  Place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are turning brown. You need to watch carefully as the crumbs an burn rather quickly.  Remove from oven and cool.  Remove the filling from the refrigerator.  Fold in the sour cream with a whisk.  Refrigerate at least 2 more hours, or overnight. Whip cream with the 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.  Layer lemon custard, whipped cream and graham crackers.  Bon appetit!

look at all that great lemon peel...

mix cornstarch, lemon peel and sugar...

stir in egg yolks and butter...

mix graham crackers, melted butter and sugar, then bake a 350...

when lemon curd is done, use a rubber spatula to place into bowl, then immediately put plastic wrap flat against the whole thing so it doesn't form a "skin"...

I couldn't get along without this whisk, which is flat, and goes around the round coners of a pan...

pure decadence...