lemon cream pie

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 (16.5 ounce) package lemon bar mix
• 1/4 cup finely chopped blanched almonds
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 (.25 ounce) package unflavored gelatin
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Recipe

• to make crust: in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter or margarine. stir in dessert bar crust mix and almonds. cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to brown and crumble.
• reserve 2 tablespoons of crust mixture for topping. use the back of a fork to press remaining crust mixture into an ungreased 9 inch deep dish pie plate. cool completely.
• to make filling: pour cold water into a 2 quart non-aluminum saucepan. sprinkle gelatin over water and allow to soften 5 minutes. using a wooden spoon, stir dessert bar filling mix into gelatin, mixing until smooth. cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. boil and stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
• place egg yolks in a medium bowl. whisk 1/4 cup of hot lemon mixture into egg yolks. whisk egg yolk mixture back into rest of lemon filling. return mixture to heat. boil and stir 1 minute. remove from heat. cover and refrigerate.
• in a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and 1/4 cup of lemon filling (may be slightly warm), beating until smooth. gradually beat in remaining filling mixture until smooth. mix in food coloring if desired.
• pour filling into crust. cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. sprinkle reserved almond mixture over top just before serving.