It's been about a month since my last post...things have been a little haywire here. Interviews, rental car accidents, Superbowl, mice in the house, and lots of 11 hour days at work.
Needless to say, all of these events have greatly affected the amount of time I have to bake delicious goodies.
The recipe I bring you this morning comes once again from King Arthur (yes, I love their site, what can I say). I'm going to try and post pics more often of the process as well as the final product so you can see things along the way as well!
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/RecipeDisplay?RID=R1040
The recipe is posted as "cherry cheesecake pie". The first time I made it, I used dried cherries...but this time I opted for a mixed-berry blend which I think came out really well. Alright, lets go!
Crust
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk, (save the white for the cheesecake filling)
2 tablespoons water1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
*I used almond extract to give the crust a slightly different flavor than the cheesecake
1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Cherry Filling1 cup dried cherries, sweet or sour
*I used mixed berries instead. Make sure you have at LEAST one cup. An exact cup will just barely cover the bottom of the pie crust so don't be afraid to use more
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Instant ClearJel(r) or cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Cheesecake Filling
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch or flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 drops bitter almond oil (both optional)
*I didn't use either of these
2 large eggs plus the reserved egg white
1/4 cup heavy cream
Crust:
Beat the butter, sugar and salt until fluffy, then add the egg yolk, water, and flavoring.
Stir in the flour.
Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of a deep 9-inch pie pan.
*Note that you do not roll the crust. It's hand-pressed to give it some thickness. It will not be a thin, rolled crust
Chill for 30 minutes.
Bake the crust in a preheated 375°F oven for 16 to 18 minutes, until it's a light, golden brown, using pie weights or your favorite method to weigh it down as it bakes. Set it aside to cool.
*Make sure its COMPLETELY cool before adding in the filling. It's a good idea to make the crust way in advance of prepping the filling. Give yourself adequate time for it to cool so that the fruit filling sets properly
Cherry filling: Mix the dried cherries, sugar, and thickener in a small saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil, then set aside.
Cheesecake: Slowly blend the cream cheese with the sugar and salt, until no lumps remain.
When smooth, add the cornstarch or flour, and flavoring. Stir in the eggs and the reserved egg white, then the cream.
Spread the cherry filling into the baked crust, then top with the cheesecake batter.
Bake the pie in a preheated 325°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's barely set.
Turn the oven off and let the pie sit in the oven with the door propped open for 20 minutes, then remove it from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
*I recommend at least 4 hours.
Garnish with whipped cream and sliced toasted almonds, if desired. Yield: 8 to 12 servings.
