Pie-triotism: Blueberry-Cream Cheese-Sour Cream and Peach-Strawberry

Two pies for a 4th of July picnic. One was blueberry-cream cheese, with a graham-cracker crust; the other, peach-strawberry with a lattice top.

Unfortunately I forgot to take photos of either pie (I really meant to, but the sun-dazed, and beer-dazed, state I was in by the time the pie was served, caused me to forget). So, please see the above photographic evidence that pie was eaten.

It's a photo of a vacancy where a pie once was.



First, the recipe (I'm only including the Blueberry-Sour Cream recipe, since the peach-strawberry was very similar to a number of recent pies I've described making):

Blueberry-Sour Cream Pie
(from Ken Haedrich's wonderful book Pie)



1 graham cracker crust (see recipe after this)

FILLING
1  1 pound bag individual frozen blueberries (not packed in syrup)  (I used about 2 and 1/3 pints of fresh blueberries, and I regret nothing) 
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/3 cup of honey! It worked fine, though the honey flavor does come through, and the pie seemed slightly less like that classic blueberry pie flavor than the following week's version with sugar. Your mileage may vary)  
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I'm sure you know this, but artificial vanilla is an abomination. Always use the real stuff)  
handful of fresh blueberries (optional) (See above. I did add some uncooked berries at the end though)  

CREAM CHEESE-SOUR CREAM TOPPING
1   8-ounce package full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar. sifted   (I used 1/3 cup maple syrup. A bit odd perhaps, and the topping came out somewhat soft from the extra liquid, but it was still delicious)  
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (I skipped this with no ill effect)  
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup full fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

GARNISH
Handful of fresh blueberries or threads of lemon zest (optional) (My lovely and creative wife discovered that the bright yellow nasturtium flowers from our garden look spectacular on top of the cream cheese)  

1. Prebake graham cracker crust according to your directions
2. Combine frozen blueberries and lemon juice in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan. Cover, and cook over medium to low heat until the blueberries are almost simmering in their own liquid. Mix the granulated sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl, then stir the mixture into the blueberries. Bring the fruit to a boil, stirring. Once the fruit starts to boil, reduce the heat a little and cook, stirring nonstop, for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Scrape the fruit into a shallow bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.
3. Spoon the partially cooled filling into the cooled pie shell and smooth with a spoon. If you're using fresh berries, scatter them over the fruit and press them into the cooked berries. Refrigerate for 3 to 60 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the topping. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugars, and lemon zest together in a medium-size bowl until smooth. Add the sour cream and vanilla and blend briefly until smooth. Spoon the filling over the chilled pie and smooth the top with a spoon. Cover with loosely tented aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Just before serving, garnish with blueberries or lemon zest, if desired.

Serve and enjoy this creamy dessert!

Graham Cracker Crumb Crust
(from Ken Haedrich's wonderful book Pie) 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Big pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter your choice of pie pan and set aside. 
2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Mix briefly with your fingers. Add the butter and incorporate well, mixing first with a fork, then with your hands, rubbing thoroughly to form evenly dampened crumbs.
3. Spread the crumbs evenly and loosely in the pan, pressing them into the bottom and up the side. Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Place on the center oven rack and bake for 7 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before filling. 
5. Refrigerate the thoroughly cooled pie shell for 10 minutes before filling.

Now, the pictures (both pies combined... this is in chronological order, and I was multitasking):

Rolling out the dough for the peach-strawberry pie:

Mixing up graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and salt:

Peaches! What is better on this earth than fresh farmer's market peaches?

Fresh farmer's market peaches and fresh farmers' market strawberries!

Mixing honey and cornstarch for the blueberry pie:

Fresh farmer's market blueberries! (Total, about 5 cups. I didn't know how much to use, but this seemed about right)

Cooking the blueberries, lemon juice and honey!

Cooling the blueberries, and soaking the peaches & strawberries

Cream cheese, meet maple syrup:

The graham-cracker crust, full of blueberries!

Slicing up the lattice top:

Peaches and strawberries in a pre-baked shell:

Latticing!

Proof that it was eaten:

For those dissatisfied with the photographic evidence: my next post will be all about the blueberry-sour cream-cream cheese pie, with good photos! Stay tuned.