Lime Cheesecake Pie

 

I posted this recipe waaaaay back in September of 2009!  I don't think it got a lot of attention because the photo I posted with it was TERRIBLE.  Finally, finally I have a photo worthy of this simple, yet elegant pie.  Doesn't it look scrumptious?  I recently served it to some sister missionaries from our church and it was a hit.  The sour cream topping is a recent addition and it goes perfectly with this lightly tart and seriously creamy dessert.  Just looking at the photo makes me want to make another one!

3 limes is about all you need for the juice (maybe 4 or more IF your limes are really small or if you don't have a good juicer like this one).  Before juicing, I reserve the zest of one in a covered container to use for the topping later, and zest another one into the bowl for the juice.  That way there is no waste!

LIME CHEESECAKE PIE

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened (do not use fat free! 1/3 less fat is okay)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
zest of 1 lime
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
food coloring, if desired: 1 drop green, 2 drops yellow
1 graham cracker crust

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
zest of 1 lime
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in condensed milk, lime juice, and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour into the crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, zest, and sugar until smooth.  Spread gently over pie.  Chill for another hour or overnight.

Black Bottom Strawberries and Cream Pie

What could be better than strawberries and chocolate?  How about strawberries and chocolate AND a big, fluffy pile of creamy, dreamy deliciousness?  Dude, this pie is so easy but it looks like a million bucks and tastes like it too.  Do yourself a favor and make it NOW.


BLACK BOTTOM STRAWBERRIES & CREAM PIE
adapted from Butter With a Side of Bread

1 Oreo cookie crust (or graham cracker crust)

Filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened (I use neufchatel)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8 oz) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Chocolate layer:
2 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
1/3 cup milk

Topping:
2 cups sliced or quartered fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. shortening
 
Combine 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 cup milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.  Cool.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Beat in sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add sour cream and mix well.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Spread evenly over chocolate layer (pie will be very full).  Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight or for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, arrange strawberries on top.  Microwave 2 Tbsp. chocolate chips with shortening in a ziploc bag on HIGH for 20 seconds.  Knead the melted chocolate and shortening until combined.  Snip corner off bag and drizzle chocolate over strawberries.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

This is the other pie I made for Thanksgiving.  My daughter is in love with it and ate two pieces of it on Monday.  I love that it combines two of my favorite desserts: cheesecake and pumpkin pie.  Mine didn't turn out as pretty as the one on the King Arthur Flour website, but it still looks good enough to eat.

The recipe makes more pumpkin filling than will fit in the pie, so I just put the rest of it in a ramekin and baked it alongside the pie until it was done.  Who doesn't love a recipe that results in a bonus dessert?

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE PIE
from King Arthur Flour

9-inch deep dish unbaked pie crust

Cheesecake filling:
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Pumpkin filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 cup (8 oz) evaporated milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in egg and vanilla until incorporated and pour mixture into the pie crust.  Refrigerate while making the pumpkin filling.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, and spices.  Add pumpkin, evaporated milk, and eggs and whisk gently until smooth.  Slowly and carefully spoon pumpkin mixture over the cheesecake filling (you may have some leftover - see note above).

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Pie is done when it looks set, but center is still a bit wobbly.  Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until serving.

Note:  I like to wrap strips of aluminum foil around the edge of the pie crust before filling, then remove the foil about 20 minutes before pie is done baking.  This keeps the crust from getting too brown.

Blackberry Pear Crumble Pie

We had our Thanksgiving with extended family this year and their tradition is for everyone to bring a different pie (or two).  I was excited for the opportunity to try out a new recipe that I'd been thinking about for a while.  I found a recipe for Pear Crumble Pie on Food.com and thought it sounded different and yummy.  It has a custardy fruit filling and a crisp crumble topping - what's not to love?  But, as usual, I wanted to mix it up and decided to add some blackberries with the pears.

I may be wrong, but it seems that the combination of blackberries and pears is a British thing.  Almost every "blackberry pear" recipe I found on Google was from a British website and all measurements were in metric.  What gives?  Are we Americans just not hip to this fruit combination? 

Anyway, my husband and mother-in-law liked this pie and I think it's darn yummy, myself.  If you are looking to make something different for a potluck or family party this year, here's your pie!

BLACKBERRY PEAR CRUMBLE PIE
slightly adapted from Pear Crumble Pie on Food.com

9-inch deep dish pastry shell, unbaked

4 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
12 oz. fresh blackberries, rinsed
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Crumble topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cold butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. flour, vanilla, and spices.  Fold in the pears and blackberries.  Carefully pour mixture into the pastry shell and bake for 40 minutes.*

While the pie is baking, make the crumble:  in a medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.  After the pie has baked 40 minutes, sprinkle the crumble topping on.  Return to oven for 20 minutes longer.  Let cool before serving.  Refrigerate leftovers.

* To keep the crust edge from over-browning, I like to wrap the edge in aluminum foil before filling.  Then remove foil when adding the crumble topping.

Custard Pear Pie

I found this recipe on At Second Street last year and I finally made it! It was quite popular around here. I love that it uses pears, which are kind of the unsung fall fruit - always overshadowed by all those apple recipes. The almond extract gives it such a unique flavor and Kalleen made the suggestion of baking it in a springform pan instead of a pie plate. I loved that idea. Makes it very easy to serve!

CUSTARD PEAR PIE
from At Second Street

pastry for 1 crust pie*
3 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 pears; peeled, cored, and sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out pastry between two pieces of parchment paper. Place pastry in bottom and up sides of pie plate or springoform pan. Trim to fit.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, sugar, almond extract, and melted butter until smooth. Pour into pastry. Arrange pear slices in spokes radiating out from center. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 25-35 minutes or until custard is firm. Cool completely before serving. Garnish with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

*For my crust I used this one on Pioneer Woman, cutting the recipe in half and using all butter. It was delish!

Key Lime Pie with Raspberry Sauce

We forgot until the last minute to find a dessert for Mother's Day. I thought Key Lime Pie sounded good, but the store bakeries were out and I wasn't about to pay $8.99 for a frozen version. So I made one myself late Saturday night. And let me say, this is the best Key Lime Pie recipe EVAH.

One word about limes: Key limes are not the same as the 'regular' (ie: Persian/Mexican) limes you usually find at the grocery store. For one thing, they are much smaller:

Image found here.

I usually see them sold by bulk in a mesh bag instead of individually. They are much more tart than the Persian limes and lighter in color. So, to make traditional Key Lime pie you need the real thing, but it still tastes great if all you can find is Persian limes. The pie will simply not be as tart. And that neon green pie sold in stores? Not normal. I did add a couple of drops of green food coloring to my pie just for aesthetics, but it's not necessary. I just want to make sure you aren't expecting your filling to look bright green.

I really think Key Lime pie tastes best when made with a homemade graham cracker crust but I will not judge you if you use a pre-made store bought crust.

The raspberry sauce? Not a traditional topping. I got the idea from Longhorn Steakhouse - they serve(d) their Key Lime pie with a drizzle of raspberry glaze and it's a great combination. You don't have to do the same, but I thought I'd add a recipe in case you want to try it.

KEY LIME PIE
adapted from Key Lime Pie VII from Allrecipes.com

1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup lime juice*
1 Tbsp. lime zest
green food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, and a couple of drops of food coloring, if using; pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set - do not brown. Remove to wire rack. Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.

*You will need about 10 Persian limes or 25-30 Key limes.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
found on Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and butter and blend well. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

RASPBERRY SAUCE
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Combine the raspberries, sugar, and orange juice in a saucepan. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth; add to saucepan. Bring to a boil.

Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the desired consistency is reached. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.

Puree the sauce in a blender and strain through a fine mesh sieve and let cool. Sauce keeps in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Bob Andy Pie

I have no idea who Bob Andy is or why this pie is named after him. From what I understand, this is a popular pie from Indiana Amish country. The brown "crust" on top is formed when the cinnamon rises to the top of the custard during baking.

The recipe calls for whole milk, which I didn't have, so I made it with 1% and it turned out just fine. I think it just lost some creaminess and fullness in the custard, but it's still delicious. I prefer it chilled but it can be served room temp.

BOB ANDY PIE
from ThreeManyCooks on TastyKitchen

3 whole large eggs
1 9-inch pie shell
2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Crack eggs in a medium bowl; brush pie shell with a little of the egg whites. Whisk eggs until thoroughly mixed; whisk in milk. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt then whisk into milk mixture.

Set pie shell on oven rack and pour filling into shell. Bake until custard has set and crust is golden about 50-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and serve room temperature or chilled.

Lemon Sour Cream Pie

I came across this little gem on the blog I'm Topsy Turvy. Ashlee makes unbelievable cakes and sometimes shares her favorite recipes. I love anything lemon and this just sounded so good. The flavor is smooth and light...and delicious!

LEMON SOUR CREAM PIE
from Ashlee on I'm Topsy Turvy

1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked
1 cup sugar
3 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. honey or sugar

Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolks, and milk in a saucepan, and cook over medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool to room temp and then whisk in sour cream until smooth. Pour into pie shell, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

In a medium sized bowl, combine whipping cream and honey or sugar. Beat with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over pie before serving.

Strawberry Pie

Love this pie! When I made it, the glaze was not quite thick enough (making the pie slightly runny) so I've adjusted the recipe. You might think it's too thick when you make it, but it needs to be because the berries start to seep their own juices and thin it out a bit. I don't use all of the glaze created just as a personal preference - I like the pie to be more about the berries. I just add enough to thoroughly coat the strawberries before adding them to the crust. If you use all of the glaze, eat the pie the same day or you may end up with a soggy crust (or just add more berries and make a fuller pie).

And speaking of crust! If you don't make your own, I recommend you use either Mrs. Smith's or Marie Callendar's brand frozen pie crusts. Store brands (especially Wal-mart - don't get me started) just don't cut it. This was the last time I will use a store brand pie crust.

STRAWBERRY PIE

1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked and cooled
2 quarts (32 oz) fresh strawberries, hulled and thickly sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. margarine
whipped cream (garnish)

Combine 1 cup sliced strawberries, sugar, water, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a blender and puree. Pour into a small saucepan and add margarine. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Pour glaze (as much as desired) over remaining berries in a medium bowl and fold gently until evenly coated. Pour into pie crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (Any remaining glaze can be saved for a warm ice cream topping or for a second pie.) Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Blueberry Custard Crunch Pie

Can you say, "YUM?" I made this pie on the Fourth of July (hey, that rhymes) and it was well-loved. The crunchy topping just makes it, you know? I recommend using a full-fat sour cream to prevent any unfortunate results. And if you don't have one of these:

ie: a pastry cutter

you should get one. It's much easier to make streusel topping. But if you don't have one and can't run out right this second to get one, you can use two knives or two forks and cut them in a criss-cross fashion.

BLUEBERRY CUSTARD CRUNCH PIE
adapted from True Blue Custard Crunch Pie on Allrecipes.com

1 cup (or 8 oz) sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

Streusel topping:
4 1/2 Tbsp. cold butter
3 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. flour
6 Tbsp. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie crust on small cookie sheet. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together sour cream, sugar, egg, flour, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine butter, sugar, flour, and brown sugar with a pastry cutter until crumbly. After the first 25 minutes, sprinkle topping over pie and return to oven. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Can be served warm or chilled.

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

I really wish I had taken the time to get a good photo of this pie. By the time we cut into it, it was dark outside and I was a little too busy thinking about eating it to be patient enough to compose a good picture.

This pie takes a little work, but it's sooo worth it. The satisfaction comes when everyone takes a bite and realizes what a culinary genius you are. The disappointment comes when you realize there are no leftovers.

Just make it already!

BLACK BOTTOM BANANA CREAM PIE
from Cooking Light (I think...)

1 (9-inch) frozen pie crust, thawed
3 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
dash of salt
1 1/3 cups milk, divided
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
(or 2 Tbsp. semisweet chocolate chips)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ounces block-style cream cheese, softened
2 cups sliced ripe bananas (about 2 med. bananas)
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping (Coolwhip), thawed

Bake pie crust according to package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 cup milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in chocolate; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.

Combine 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt, eggs, 1 cup milk, and butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. (If you get a few lumps, it's not the end of the world). Reduce heat to low, and cook 30 seconds or until thick. Remove from heat. Add vanilla.

In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 30 seconds). Add 1/4 cup hot custard to cream cheese and beat just until blended. Beat in remaining custard. (This is where you can try and beat out any lumps).

Arrange banana slices on top of chocolate layer;

spoon custard over bananas. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard (to prevent a thick skin from forming); chill for at least 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap. Spread whipped topping evenly over custard. Garnish with chocolate curls or a sprinkle of cocoa if desired. Chill until ready to serve.

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

I had two different recipes for this pie: all the same ingredients but in different amounts. After making one last night and seeing it fail to set up, I now know the right one to use! So I'm sharing the good recipe. I'd take a photo of the pie I made but it's just too depressing to look at. It still tastes DELICIOUS. Here is what it should look like:


So this is a fast and easy pumpkin pie. Essentially pumpkin pie with the Cool Whip already mixed in. It calls for a graham cracker crust, which is fine, but I think shortbread would be better. Or the best might be a pre-baked pastry pie crust (I like Mrs. Smiths brand best). I also found Pumpkin Spice flavored Jell-o pudding so I used that instead of vanilla. You can find the original source of the recipe here.

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE

1/2 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (6 serving size) vanilla instant pudding (or Pumpkin Spice flavor)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/2 cups whipped topping, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

In large bowl, beat milk, pudding mix, and spice with wire whisk for 1 minute (mixture will be very thick). Whisk in pumpkin. Fold in whipped topping. Spread in crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Store in fridge.

*or substitute 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, and 1/8 tsp. ground cloves