Description
Ina Garten’s lemon icebox cake blends creamy mascarpone, tangy lemon, and delicate whipped cream into a refreshing summer dessert. Cool flavors meld perfectly, offering a light and elegant treat that delights palates with its subtle complexity.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (720 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 2 ½ boxes Lorna Doone shortbread cookies or other shortbread cookies
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsps lemon zest
- ¼ cup (40 g) instant lemon pudding powder
- ¾ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whip Preparation: In a stand mixer, blend heavy cream, powdered sugar, instant vanilla pudding powder, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until stiff, glossy peaks form, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Base Layer: Spread a thin, even layer of whipped cream mixture across the bottom of a 9×13 inch rectangular baking dish.
- Cookie Layering: Create alternating layers of shortbread cookies and whipped cream mixture, ensuring complete coverage and even distribution. Repeat the layering process three times total.
- Final Touch: Sprinkle additional lemon zest over the top layer for enhanced aroma and visual appeal.
- Chilling Process: Cover the dessert tightly with plastic wrap, eliminating air pockets, and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld and cookies to soften.
- Serving: Remove from refrigerator, slice into individual portions, and serve chilled for the most refreshing experience.
Notes
- Whip Cream Precisely: Achieve stiff, glossy peaks by whipping exactly 3-4 minutes for the perfect texture and stability.
- Cookie Coverage Matters: Ensure complete, even cookie layer to create uniform texture and flavor distribution throughout the dessert.
- Chill for Optimal Flavor: Refrigerate minimum 4 hours or overnight to allow cookies to soften and flavors to blend beautifully.
- Zest Boosts Brightness: Fresh lemon zest adds vibrant citrus notes and enhances the overall aromatic profile of the dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Desserts
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 384
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 54 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 21 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 104 mg