This dessert is light and refreshing and very flavorful. Its also much easier to make than it looks!

Ingredients

First Layer
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons cream
sweetener of choice equal to ½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Second Layer
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
sweetener of choice equal to 2/3 cup sugar
4 beaten egg yolks (beat lightly with a whisk)
2/3 cups water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Third Layer
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
sweetener of choice equal to ½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

1 cup heavy cream
sweetener of choice equal to ½ cup sugar


Layer One. Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, and sweetener until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat until combined. Stir in the cream, and lemon peel. Pour into a greased 9 inch pie plate and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Layer Two. In a medium sized saucepan, stir together the gelatin, sweetener, and water. Add in the lemon juice, lemon peel, butter, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbling….stirring occasionally. Continue to cook and stir for an additional 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Cool to room temperature…giving it a stir occasionally.

Third Layer. In medium sized bowl, stir together the mascarpone, vanilla, sweetener, lemon juice, and peel until well combined and smooth. There's no need to use the mixer, just mix it up well with a spoon. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the pie.

When the second layer has cooled to room temperature, beat the 1 cup heavy cream and sweetener in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold HALF the whipped cream into the bowl with the second layer. Gently combine, then pour over the first layer in pie plate. Let chill in the refrigerator until the second layer sets. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone cheese mixture and return the bowl to the refrigerator. After an hour or two, the second layer should be set. Once it is set, pour the third layer (mascarpone mixture) on top and return to the refrigerator and chill for several hours. When ready to serve, run a knife around the outside edge of the pie plate, slice and enjoy!

****If you can't find mascarpone cheese, then you can substitute cream cheese in the third layer. It wont be as creamy, but it will still be good. You would need to beat 4 ounces of cream cheese with a mixer until light and fluffy and continue with the rest of the layer 3 directions.