Lemon Cheesecake Pie (Sheri's Favorite Lemon Pie)

(Lemon Pie with a Cream Cheese Layer)

Modified from:  www.housewifebarbie.com

Ingredients:

1 pastry pie crust or graham cracker crust

1 1/2 c sugar

6 T cornstarch

1/2 t salt

1 c water

2 T real butter

2 t grated lemon peel or 1 t dried

2/3 c lemon juice

12 oz. cream cheese

3/4 c powdered sugar

3/4 c heavy cream, whipped

1 T lemon juice or 1/2 t vanilla

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan on the stove. Stir in the water and bring to a boil over medium hight heat. Reduce heat and cook and stir for about 2 minutes until smooth (**Note: I cooked several minutes and it still was not thick enough to solidify into a jelly layer.  I usually pour some on top, but keep the rest for a glaze instead of using it as a jelly layer.). It should be thick and clear. Remove from heat, stir in the butter, lemon peel and lemon juice. I like to add 2 drops of yellow food color to the curd at this point to give it a nice yellow color. Cool to room temperature (about an hour). In a mixing bowl combine the cream cheese (softened) and powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and lemon juice or use the vanilla - I make it both ways. Save about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the whipped cream for garnish. Spread the rest into the baked and cooled pie crust shell. Top with the lemon filling. Chill at least 6-8 hours. Pipe stars on the top with the reserved whipped cream.

**Note: Since I have used the lemon layer as a sauce/glaze, I don't pipe the whipped cream on top.  I usually pour as much of the lemon sauce over the cream cheese layer as will fit into the pie tin, then save the rest so people can drizzle more over their piece of pie, until their heart is content.  I generally haven't served this pie with whipped cream.