I’ve been dreaming of recreating this favorite summer treat since last year but all the recipes I’ve seen called for orange jello or some sort of pudding. It just didn’t seem right to me. I wanted the orange flavor to come from oranges, not from a package. Summer in a bite, these orange dreamsicle pie bars are packed with orange flavor from freshly squeezed orange juice and grated orange rind! Forget the orange flavored jello, these orange dreamsicle pie bars taste so much better! After playing around with different ratios I finally got it. Orange dreamsicle pie bars that were so soft and creamy and so packed with orange flavors it kicks you in the face! My husband is a huge fan of both Jell-O and Orange Creamsicles, so I knew he’d love this dessert. And he wasn’t the only one! It really does taste like an Orange Creamsicle, and with summer just around the corner, it’s perfect for a hot day. The top layer is quite thick, so make sure the orange gelatin layer is nice and firm before you add the second layer. I’m already thinking about making it with other flavors of Jell-O…..strawberry and lemon are at the top of my list.
Summer in a bite, these orange dreamsicle pie bars are packed with orange flavor from freshly squeezed orange juice and grated orange rind! I’ve talked at length before about how, while I love my house and my friends here in Sacramento, I really, really don’t want to live here forever. My heart belongs to the San Francisco Bay Area, the ocean, and the fog. It would also be easier for my husband if we lived in the bay area, because there aren’t many IT jobs where we live. Luckily, he’s been able to work from home for the last 10 years, but you never know how long that will last. Also, if I have to live in this heat until I die I might go insane. ORANGE CREAMSICLE DESSERT BARS — THIS NO-BAKE LAYERED DESSERT MADE WITH ORANGE JELL-O, CREAM CHEESE AND WHIPPED CREAM HAS ALL THE FLAVORS OF THE CLASSIC ORANGE ICE CREAM TREAT!
By: Roxana Yawgel
Ingredients
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tabespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup orange juice
1 (3 oz.) package Jell-O Orange Flavor Gelatin
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) thawed Cool Whip, divided
1/2 cup cold milk
1 (3.4 oz.) package Jell-O instant vanilla pudding
2 teaspoons orange zest
Directions
In a food processor, add graham crackers, butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Pulse for 1 minute or until cracker crumbs stick together to form pea size crumbs.
Press mixture onto bottom of 13X9” baking pan. Pack and press it well otherwise it will fall apart.
Place baking pan in freezer while making filling.
In a food processor, add cream cheese, condensed milk and sugar. Pulse a few times until mixture is creamy.
Stir in orange juice, grated rind and orange extract (optional). Pulse 2-3 times until just combined. Stop and set aside.
In a cold mixing bowl add heavy whipping cream. Use whisk attachment to whip cream gently, adding powdered sugar gradually. Whip until firm peaks form.
Use spatula to gently fold whipped cream into orange mixture, slowly rotating the bowl clockwise as you fold in whipped cream. Do not over mix!
Remove crust from freezer and pour filling over crust.
Return to freezer and chill for 3 – 4 hours.
Just before serving, cut into bars. For clean cuts, wash knife in warm water after each cut.
Top with creme chantilly and sprinkle grated orange rind, if desired.
By: Roxana Yawgel