Lemon Delight

1 ½ sticks butter

2 cups flour

2 cups crushed pecans, separated

16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

12 oz. Cool Whip, divided

1 recipe Lemon Custard (see below)

2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut butter into flour to make crumbly pastry dough. Add 1 cup crushed pecans. Press into a 9 x 13 casserole pan. Bake 15 minutes or until flour starts to brown. Remove and cool.

Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Add six oz. of Cool Whip and stir until fluffy. Spread over crust.

Spread COOLED lemon custard on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Spread remaining Cool Whip over the top of both pies and sprinkle with remaining pecans and lemon zest.  Keep chilled.

Lemon Custard

1 c. sugar

6 Tbsp. cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

2 c. milk

3 eggs, separated

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in the top of a double boiler. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Cook and stir these ingredients over hot water until the mixture thickens—about 15 minutes. Cover the pan and allow to cook 10 minutes longer. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl and add about ½ cup of the thickened milk. Then stir this mixture back into the double boiler. Cook and stir over boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Cool this custard, stirring gently every 10 minutes or so.