Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) Digestive Biscuits or Graham Crackers, finely crushed
- 4 Tbsp (56 g) Unsalted Butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp (15 g) Granulated Sugar
- ¼ tsp (1.5 g) Fine Sea Salt
- Two 8 oz blocks (454 g) Full-Fat Cream Cheese, fully softened
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) Powdered (Icing) Sugar, sifted
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) Pure Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
- Zest of 1 medium lemon (5 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml) Heavy Cream (Double Cream), cold
Instructions:
- Place biscuits/crackers in a sealed bag and crush until fine crumbs are achieved. Alternatively, pulse briefly in a food processor.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, crushed digestive biscuits, granulated sugar, and salt until evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture onto a small baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool completely.
- In the large mixing bowl, use the electric mixer on medium speed to beat the softened cream cheese until perfectly smooth and creamy—about 2 minutes. Ensure there are absolutely no lumps.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in the sifted powdered sugar, vanilla paste, and lemon zest. Mix only until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides.
- In a separate, chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip.
- Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Use a cutting motion to incorporate the cream without deflating the air.
- Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until streak-free and evenly incorporated. The mixture should be light, fluffy, and voluminous.
- Transfer the dip to an airtight container or directly into your serving dish. Cover tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or ideally 4 hours, to allow the dip to firm up and the flavours to marry properly.
- Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted digestive crumb topping over the dip. Serve immediately with chosen accompaniments.