Snow white, subtly sweet and a winning part of your family gatherings during the dog days of summer, this recipe is delicious.
To brighten this dessert up even more, add green and red candied cherries for the topping!
Ingredients
Orange Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
Cream Filling
- 1 cup whipped cream cheese, cold
- 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
Citrus Cherry Topping
- 1 cup dried cherries, lightly packed
- 1 cup orange juice
Preparation
- 1 Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
For The Crust
- 1 Beat butter, powdered sugar, orange zest and vanilla until smooth with an electric mixer.
- 2 In a separate bowl, sift the flour and cornstarch together, blending well. Add dry to wet and beat, on low speed, until mixture comes together.
- 3 Transfer to prepared pan and evenly press against the bottom and sides with your hands.
- 4 Bake until it starts to turn a light tan color, about 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.
For the Cream Filling
- 1 Beat Cream Filling ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff peaks have begun to form, about 2 minutes.
- 2 Pour filling onto crust, smoothing out the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
For the Topping
- 1 Prepare topping about an hour before serving by combining both ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- 2 Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring almost constantly. Reduce to low and simmer 8-10 minutes, or until thickened and the cherries have started to break down and become tender.
- 3 Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cooled, about an hour. Serve with a dollop of topping over the top of each slice.
