Teeny Tiny Very Berry Cream Cheese Pies Food

VERY BERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Make your pie crusts or used store bought.
• Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar.
• Lay the first crust into the pie plate.
• Spread the cream cheese all along the bottom of the pie crust.
• If using frozen berries, defrost them thoroughly.
• Mix together all berries. Add sugar and allow the berries to sit for 10-15 minutes to pull out the juices.
• Next, add lemon juice and corn starch and mix berries.
• Pour the berries over the cream cheese layer in the pie.
• Prepare the top layer of the crust. I chose to cut heart shapes into it, for large holes so the berries would not bubble over.
• Pinch crusts together.
• Brush with egg.
• Cover pie edges and bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove cover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until pie is golden brown.
• Allow to cool completely before serving.

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Combine the crumbs, butter, and salt in a bowl and mix until the crumbs are evenly saturated.
• Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze for 20 minutes; leave in the freezer while you work on the filling.
• Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and beat until well combined. Pour into the crust and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
• Once the pie has chilled, make the topping.
• Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan until well combined. Add the blueberries and stir to coat.
• Set the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture boils and thickens quite a bit, about 10 to 20 minutes. (At first the mixture won't seem to be doing much, then the blueberries will give off a lot of juice, then the mixture will start to thicken.)
• Remove from the heat and cool to room temp. Spread over the pie and chill for another hour or so, until the topping is fully chilled.
• Slice and serve.
• Uneaten pie can be stored in the fridge, covered, for 3 or 4 days. You can also freeze individual slices, tightly wrapped, for about a month.

VERY BERRY BERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• 1. Bake a one crust 9" deep dish pie shell. Set aside to cool.
• 2. Wash berries leaving the blueberries and raspberries whole. Slice the large strawberries and half the small & medium strawberries. Gently fold in a pint of Strawberry glaze coating all the fruit. Set aside.
• 3. In a medium bowl, beat the 2 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy about 2 minutes.
• 4. Spread the cream cheese in the cooled pie shell being careful not to break the pie shell. Spread the cream cheese approximately 1/2" thick on the bottom and 1/4" thick up the sides of the pie shell.
• 5. Pour the fruit mixture on the cream cheese in the pie shell. Cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes. Serve with a nice dollop of cool whip or fresh whipping cream. Keep refrigerated.

BERRY CREAM CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350.F. Butter or coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over two of the edges.
• In a large bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until smooth and emulsified.
• Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to the bowl. Whisk until well-combined and smooth.
• Use your fingers to break up the cream cheese into teaspoon-size pieces and scatter them over the top of the batter. Fold in the cream cheese and ½ cup (80g) of the berries.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles, and smooth the top of the batter with an offset spatula. Scatter the remaining berries over the top and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
• Bake the cake until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes. Set the cake on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Store the cake, wrapped tightly, in the fridge, for up to three days.)
• Flavor Variations
• Cranberry cream cheese cake: Substitute 1 cup (100g) fresh or frozen whole cranberries for the mixed berries. Fold half into the batter and sprinkle half on top.
• Apricot and berry cream cheese cake: Substitute a combination of 1 cup sliced apricots (170g) and 1/2 cup (80g) berries for the mixed berries. Make sure to save a few slices of apricots for the top.
• Use Another Pan
• Loaf: Fold 1 1/4 cups (200g) berries into the batter and sprinkle 1/4 cup (40g) over the top. Bake the cake in a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan until puffed and golden, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Round: Bake in a 9-inch round pan until puffed and golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.

TEENY-TINY CHOCOLATE CREAM PIES

Steps:

• Make the mousse: Gently bring the cream, chocolate and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until all the chocolate is melted. Transfer the mixture to a large metal bowl, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill, about 15 minutes. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and airy and stiff peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a round pastry tip.
• Lay the cookies out on a baking sheet. Starting at the edge of each cookie but leaving just a small border, pipe spirals of mousse to cover the cookie.
• Make the meringue: Rinse and dry the pastry bag, and fit it with a star tip. Put the eggs whites, cream of tartar and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until foamy. While continuing to beat, add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is all added and there are glossy, stiff peaks. Transfer the meringue to the pastry bag, and pipe in spirals as with the mousse, to completely cover the mousse.
• Preheat the broiler, and broil the pies until the meringue is lightly toasted, turning the baking sheet as needed (watch carefully, burning can happen quickly!). Or use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue. Serve right away, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

FLAKY CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Food processor method:
• Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it until frozen solid, at least 30 minutes. Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine. Set the bag aside.
• Cut the cream cheese into 3 or 4 pieces and add it to the flour. Process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until none of the butter is larger than the size of a pea. (Toss with a fork to see it better.) Remove the cover and add the water and vinegar. Pulse until most of the butter is reduced to the size of small peas. The mixture will be in particles and will not hold together. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a double-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with the plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
• Hand method:
• Place a medium mixing bowl in the freezer to chill.
• Cut the butter into small (about 3/4-inch) cubes. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
• Place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cream cheese and rub the mixture between your fingers to blend the cream cheese into the flour until it resembles coarse meal. Spoon the mixture, together with the cold butter, into a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag. Expel any air from the bag and close it. Use a rolling pin to flatten the butter into thin flakes. Place the bag in the freezer for at least 10 minutes or until the butter is very firm.
• Transfer the mixture to the chilled bowl, scraping the sides of the bag. Set the bag aside. Sprinkle the mixture with the water and vinegar, tossing lightly with a rubber spatula. Spoon it into the plastic bag. (For a two-crust pie, it is easiest to divide the mixture in half at this point.)
• Holding both ends of the bag opening with your fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs), and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight. (For a pie shell and lattice, divide it in a ratio of two thirds:one third - use about 9.5 ounces for the shell and the rest for the lattice, flattening the smaller part into a rectangle.)
• Store:
• Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.
• Understanding
• A classic cream cheese crust contains no water and is more tender than an all-butter crust but not at all flaky. I have found it to be so tender it is impossible to use for a lattice top and the bottom crust often develops cracks through which a filling will leak and stick to the bottom of the pan. Very little water is needed, because the cream cheese contains 51 percent water. The addition of a small amount of water connects the two gluten-forming proteins in the flour, producing the rubbery, stretchy gluten that strenghtens the structure just enough to prevent cracking when the crust bakes. This pie crust does not shrink or distort as much as an all-butter crust because there is less development of gluten. The acidity of the vinegar weakens the gluten that forms, making the crust still more tender and less likely to shrink. If desired, it can be replaced with water.
• Cream cheese is 51 percent water and 37.7 percent fat, so 3 ounces contain 1.53 ounces (about 3 tablespoons) or water and 1.13 ounces of fat. That means that the pie crust with 6.5 ounces of flour contains the equivalent of about 4 1/2 tablespoons of water. Compared to the all-butter crust, this crust has about 1 tablespoon more water, 1.13 ounces more of fat, and .34 ounce more milk solids. The extra fat in the cream cheese coats some of the proteins in the flour, limiting the development of gluten, which would make it tougher. The milk solids add both flavor and smoothness of texture.
• The baking powder lifts and aerates the dough slightly without weakening it, but it also makes it seem more tender.
• In developing this recipe, I found that if not using the vinegar and baking powder to tenderize the crust, it is advisable to add one quarter of the butter together with the cream cheese when using all-purpose flour. This helps to moisture-proof it but, of course, takes away a little from the flakiness, as there is less butter available to add in larger pieces to create layers.

BERRY CREAM PIE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt; gradually stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. , Remove from the heat and stir a small amount of hot filling into egg; return all to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; gently stir in vanilla and almond extract if desired. Cool to room temperature. , In a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form; fold into filling. Pour into pastry shell. Chill for at least 2 hours., About 2 hours before serving, prepare glaze. In a large saucepan, combine crushed strawberries and water; cook for 2 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually add to the pan. Cook and stir until thickened and clear; strain. Cool for 20 minutes. , Meanwhile, arrange quartered strawberries and raspberries over filling; pour glaze evenly over berries. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

SUMMER BERRY CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine half of the strawberries and lemon juice; mash berries. Add 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, lemon zest and remaining sugar until smooth. Spread into the crust. , In a large saucepan, combine cornstarch and reserved strawberry mixture until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in food coloring if desired. Cool slightly. , Fold in blueberries and remaining strawberries. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.