Lemon-Berry Icebox Pie Recipe ((in a jar))
Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable and beautifully rustic.
Summer in Oklahoma is turning out to be a steamy one thanks to a few scattered showers and temperatures consistently in the mid 90’s. That heat index is about to do me in but I take solace in knowing with each hot, sticky day that passes, we are one day closer to Fall ((my favorite!)). So while I wait on cool days filled with red & orange falling leaves and clouded gray skies, I am keeping cool with lots of A/C, ice water and yummy cool treats.
This recipe is a real breeze to make ((I made a pun, hah!)). 5 ingredients, a few good stirs and a “time out” in the freezer is all that it takes to put this refreshing dessert together.
- lemonade concentrate
- sweetened condensed milk (aka nectar of the gods)
- whipped cream
- lemon zest
- berries
Fresh berries and a bit of lemon zest are a really delightful addition to this lemon icebox pie. I’ll tell you more about the berries in a moment – but let me just say: they are my favorite part!
Just take a look at how easy this dessert comes together: zest, pour & stir.
Once the zest, sweetened condensed milk & lemonade concentrate are combined, it’s time to fold in the last 2 ingredients. For the whipped cream, you can either use an 8 ounce container of whipped dessert topping or make your own whipped cream by beating heavy cream on high for a minute.
I made my own whipping cream because it’s so easy ((and fast)) AND I didn’t want to add any additional sweetness. To make your own whipped cream, simply pour 8 ounces of cream into a chilled stand mixer bowl. Whip the cream on high for about 1 minute. Once the cream forms stiff peaks that don’t drip, stop whipping. Chill the whipped cream until you are ready to fold it into the dessert.
I think this picture makes a lot of promises about flavor — and trust me, it keeps every.single.promise. Fresh, bright, cool, refreshing and very delicious. Once the filling is mixed, you can pour it into a pie plate or make individual servings by pouring about 6 ounces into 6-7 canning ½ pint canning jars. If I have the choice between eating off of a plate or out of a jar, I will chose a jar without hesitation. A jar is the perfect storage container for storing and freezing, plus it is built in portion control ((hello swimsuit season)) not to mention it’s so cute!
Once you have filled the jars, top them off with the lid & freeze for 4 hours up to overnight.
Serve with wafer cookies, ginger thins or my favorite – waffle butter cookies from Trader Joes.
I did my food blogger due diligence and taste-tested at every stage of freezing. Here is what I learned:
- The longer the lemon-berry pie stays in the freezer, the thicker it became (you can count on me for deep thoughts)
- Between 1-3 hours, it’s a little soupy – perfectly straw worthy.
- After about 4 hours, the berries were frozen solid. The frozen berries are the best – super cold, extra tart and they slowly melt in your mouth. I hovered right between brain freeze and chill – the perfect place to be on a hot & sticky summer day. Oh, and the consistency was like perfectly softened ice cream.
- After 24 hours, the pie was surprisingly still soft enough to eat with a spoon. (I expected it to be solid rock, but it wasn’t!)
- I can officially say, the Lemon Berry Icebox Pie was refreshing and delicious at every stage!
Lemon + berry is such a classic combination! A super easy summer dessert that echoes the timeless simplicity of my favorite kitchen accessory — Sinkology’s farmhouse copper sink. Armed with a jar of lemon-berry icebox pie, I believe I will be able to tolerate the string of steamy days ahead.
- 1 - 12 oz can lemonade concentrate
- 1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 T lemon zest
- 8 oz heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks*
- 16 oz (2 c) fresh berries**
- 2 dozen butter/shortbread cookies
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine first 3 ingredients. Fold in whipped heavy cream & berries. Spoon lemon-berry mixture into 7-8 ½ pint canning jars, cover with lids and place in freezer for 4 hours to overnight.
- Serve with your favorite butter or shortbread cookies.
- * 8 oz of pre-made whipped topping can be substituted, but it will make the final product sweeter.
- ** Strawberries need to be sliced or chopped.
- ((optional)) Place a few tablespoons of cookie crumb crust in the bottom of each jar before adding the lemon-berry mixture.
For more recipes from our copper-loving foodie, check out our blog. If you have any questions about copper or copper sinks, our Sinkologists are here to help. Contact us or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, Pinterest, or Instagram for helpful tips, recipes, and design ideas.