Lemon Lushious ⁑

Lemon Lush is a cool, light, creamy, four-layer dessert that is perfect for summer entertaining. At the bottom is a shortbread layer flavored with chopped pecans. Next is a sweetened cream cheese layer, followed by a lemon pudding layer, all topped with a layer of whipped topping. The recipe served to me by my neighbor, Julie Lauritson, alas, used butter, sugar, and canned whipped topping—all too rich for my diet. I decided that I could lighten it using lower fat and lower G.I. ingredients. That included making my own fat-free, sugar-free whipped topping. I think the result is amazing!

  • ½ cup lite margarine, softened
  • 1 cup low-carb flour†
  • ½ cup pecans, chopped fine
  • 1 tsp gelatin, unflavored
  • 2 tsp water
  • ½ cup non-fat milk
  • ¼ cup non-fat powdered milk
  • 1 tbsp <sugar>
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 8-oz package non-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup <sugar>
  • 2½ cups cold milk
  • 2 small packets sugar-free instant lemon pudding mix

Mix together the softened margarine, flour, and nuts (less one tbsp) until uniform. Press into the bottom of a 9×13” baking dish. Bake at 375° F for 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and cool.

Make the topping: soften the gelatin in the water for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, add the milk, stir in the nonfat dry milk until uniform, and heat to simmering. Then add the softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add the vanilla and <sugar>. Chill the mixture until it begins to thicken. Beat this with an electric mixer or rotary beater until very thick and light.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cream cheese, <sugar>, and one cup of the whipped topping. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the milk and the pudding mix. Set aside.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the baked, cooled crust. Add the pudding mixture smoothed evenly over the top. Spread the remaining whipped topping over and sprinkle with the reserved pecans.

Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. If you want pretty slices, you must partially freeze the lemon lushious. It will defrost fairly quickly.

Serves 6.