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Orange Creamsicle Icebox Cake (The No-Soggy-Middle Method)

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A no-bake creamsicle dessert with reduced-orange-juice-soaked wafers and a tangy zested cream, sliced into cool, dense layers.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for the syrup)
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest, finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 (3.4 oz) box orange gelatin, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water and cooled
  • 2 (11 oz) boxes vanilla wafer cookies
  • Extra orange zest, for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a saucepan, simmer the orange juice with 2 tablespoons sugar over medium heat until reduced to about 3/4 cup, syrupy and concentrated, 12-15 minutes. Cool completely.
  2. Warm 1/4 cup of the heavy cream just until steaming, stir in the orange zest, and let it steep and cool to room temperature.
  3. In a large bowl, whip the remaining heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, cooled zested cream, and dissolved orange gelatin. Whip to firm peaks.
  4. Fold the sour cream into the whipped mixture gently until fully combined and no streaks remain.
  5. Line the bottom of a 9×5-inch loaf pan or 8-inch square dish with parchment. Brush one layer of vanilla wafers generously with the cooled orange syrup on both sides and arrange in the pan.
  6. Spread a layer of the orange cream over the wafers. Repeat layering syrup-brushed wafers and cream, ending with a cream layer on top, until all ingredients are used (4-5 layers total).
  7. Cover and press lightly with a weighted pan or foil-wrapped cans for the first hour, then refrigerate uncovered overnight, at least 8 hours.
  8. Garnish with extra orange zest just before slicing and serving cold.

Notes

Reduce the orange juice a day ahead if you want to shorten hands-on time — it keeps refrigerated for a week. Don"t skip the sour cream; without it the cake tastes flat and overly sweet. For a firmer slice, add an extra hour of chill time before cutting. Leftovers keep well covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Find it online: https://www.rapidrecipes.blog/orange-creamsicle-icebox-cake-the-no-soggy-middle-method/