It is still February, and we have a bit of winter yet to get through, but if you’d like a little taste of spring or even summer, this may be the dessert for you. Remember orange creamsicle ice cream bars? Yeah, this torte sorta tastes like them.

This torte is creamy and dreamy and oh so light.

Did I mention beautiful too? It is stunning. I have mentioned before that all of the recipes I print out and try get a written rating after I make them. It’s nothing official, just comments such as “good” or “flop” or “_____ hated it” or “next time bake longer.” When I originally made this recipe years ago, my friend Lisa insisted that this recipe needed a “yummy, yummy” rating, so that is what it has. One “yummy” was clearly insufficient. 🙂 If I remember correctly, I think she actually stood by while I wrote the rating to make sure this dessert received its proper reward. 

Don’t let the fancy appearance of the torte scare you. If you can make gelatin and open a carton of whipped topping, you are half-way to making this dessert already. It is showstoppingly beautiful, but it is easy as pie gelatin to make. (Pie can actually be kind of challenging; I wonder why people say “as easy as pie”? If you think about it, saying something is “as easy as pie” actually suggests that it is something kind of hard.) Oh well. This torte is not hard and comes together pretty quickly. It is also unique in that it features “orange.” I can’t think of any other recipe I make that features orange flavor.

Enjoy the “yummy, yummy” torte, and let me know how many “yummies” it gets at your house.

Orange Dream Torte

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 ounce) package orange gelatin
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 16 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 (3 ounce) package soft lady fingers, split

For Garnish (optional)

• 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained
• a small amount of orange zest
• packaged whip cream or fresh sweetened whip cream (1 cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla)

*Feel free to use the light, sugar-free, or reduced fat versions of the ingredients for an even lighter, low-calorie dessert.

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or until syrupy but not gelled at all. I recommend stirring periodically to prevent gelling and to help it cool down faster.
2. Once the gelatin is syrupy, fold in 8 ounces of the whipped topping to make an orange cream. Set aside. (If you notice any solid pieces of gelatin, just pick them out.)
3. In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Gradually beat in the milk. Fold in the other 8 ounces of whipped topping.
4. Spray the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the bottom. Arrange lady fingers around the outside edge of the pan.(I usually find packaged Lady Fingers in the bakery area of the grocery store.)
   

   

   

   

5. Set aside 1 and 1/2 cups of the orange mixture to use for the top layer.
6. Layer the cream cheese mixture and the orange mixture alternately in the prepared pan, spreading evenly to the edges of the pan. End with the reserved orange cream and either smooth the top or make into decorative swirls.

   

   

   

   

7. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
8. When ready to serve, remove sides of pan and garnish with additional sweetened whip cream and mandarin oranges if desired.

Source: Taste of Home’s Quick Cooking, January/February 2005 issue

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Category: Cakes, Desserts, No-bake Tags: creamsicle, no bake, orange cream torte

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