Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.

Step 2

Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor to make fine crumbs (or buy ready-made graham cracker crumbs).

Step 3

Add the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter to a medium bowl. Mix until well blended. If the crust is too wet, add additional graham cracker crumbs to the mixture.

Step 4

Pour the graham cracker crumb mixture into a pie plate and press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.

Step 5

Place the crust on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the pie crust just begins to brown.

Step 6

Remove the pie crust from the oven and place it on a wire rack to thoroughly cool.

Step 7

Do not add the filling to the pie crust until completely cooled.

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Step 9

Add the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.You will use two cans of sweetened condensed milk, less 3 tablespoons.

Step 10

Slowly whisk the lemon juice into the milk mixture.

Step 11

Pour the lemon filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth the top using an offset (or rubber) spatula.

Step 12

Place the pie on a sheet pan on the center rack of a preheated oven and bake until the edges are set, but the center still has a little jiggle. Depending on your oven, it will take 15-18 minutes.

Step 13

Place the pie on a wire rack to allow it to let it cool completely.

Step 14

After the pie has cooled, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. This will give the pie time to set so it can be sliced. If you have time, chilling the pie overnight will give you the best results.

Step 15

Add the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla to a stand mixer.

Step 16

Whip the ingredients to stiff peaks. This process should be slow, starting on low speed and increasing the speed over about ten minutes.**This method is how you keep the whipped cream from breaking. The cream should be ice cold and as fresh as possible. Look for heavy cream with the longest expiration date.

Step 17

Pipe the whipped cream around the edges of the lemon cream pie and garnish with fresh lemon circles cut in quarters.