Bakers and want-to-be-bakers, today I will be talking about something you simply MUST become acquainted with if you want to learn how to make today's quick dessert recipe.
I never knew about this magical (bow down to the deliciousness) ingredient until about three or four years ago when I stumbled upon it (or some recipe containing it) while searching for a quick warm weather treat.
What is this mystery substance? Chances are if you come from a Southern USA background or a Hispanic/Latino culture you will all ready know about sweetened condensed milk. That little 14 ounce can of heavenly sweetness will bring joy to your baking and enable you to make some speedy and tasty pies using your refrigerator instead of your oven.
Summers get quite warm in the USA and our thoughts in June, July, and August turn toward ice cream and cold drinks. When air conditioning is scarce or expensive you do not want to stick on your oven but you HAVE TO have your sweets. Maybe ice cream is okay for you but when company rolls around, you need to keep a few tricks up your sleeve!
Back to sweetened condensed milk. Mixing this with a few other items creates a base for a decent pie you can doctor up or down depending on your preferences or the taste buds of your guests.
You can google the term "ice box" pies and get many variations on the theme of "mix it up and put it in the cold box" till it's ready to eat. Ice box sounds so---I don't know, 1940s...I'm thinking of well dressed people all wearing hats, listening to the Andrews Sisters, winning one for Winnie...(sorry, just channeling some past life?)
Anyhow, I can give you a very easy one to try when the weather gets too hot to bake. You just need a can of sweetened condensed milk (remember NOT evaporated!), a container of "Cool Whip" type substance (you can go as cheap as you want here), lemon juice, and a graham cracker or "cookie" based crust.
Now, this is not a health recipe because that "Cool Whip" substance is an artificial cream product that is not anyway related to real cream. I shouldn't use it. I should pony up for real cream but that is another recipe.
We're talking cheap recipe here. If you want to find something else, please carry on!
Okay, so you simply need a graham cracker crust which you can make or buy. If you have graham crackers in the house and some butter, a crust is VERY easy to make. (again, google is your friend).I've done it before and it's okay but (confession time) I don't own a rolling pin, so it was kind of hard to crush the cookies.
They say you can use a wine bottle but I don't drink alcohol. I will try it with a seltzer bottle next time.
Okay, so you have your crust. Just get out a big bowl, mix your canned condensed milk with 1/2 cup lemon juice and the "fake whipped topping." You just need the regular size whipped topping, not a huge container. Once you combine all these things, put them in the pie crust and stick the pie in the refrigerator for a few hours.
I dare you not to lick the lid of the condensed milk can...some people wax poetic about spooning it out and eating it from the can. Sometimes I leave a bit inside so I can scoop it out and taste it on its own. Yeah...that's what I'm talking about. Where have you been all my life?
Take it out when you are ready and enjoy. I think you can get about 6 decent slices out of one pie.
You can vary the pie crust, use lime juice, jazz this pie up with whatever. It's a good basic recipe that you can make your own. Play around with it. Some recipes will include raw eggs but I haven't worked with them in this pie yet. I'm a bit leery about eggs in recipes unless you cook them.
Last time I made this I froze it and it was quite good!
Make this one warm day and enjoy!
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