Fresh fruit is in abundance right now: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches and plums. Any one of these fruits can be the star in a homemade pie.
But some bakers may be intimated by the thought of making their own pie from scratch.
Often, it’s the pie crust that is intimidating.
But, some varieties of pie, such as cream pies, do well with a graham cracker crust. The no-bake pie recipe here uses sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese. Depending on what kind of fruit I have, I will top it with strawberries, blueberries, red or black raspberries.
My favorite version this week is raspberry because that’s what I have to pick fresh from the yard right now. Last week, my favorite was strawberry; next week it may be blueberry. The only thing you need to cook is the glaze. Be sure to let it cool before you top off the pie.
Cream cheese pie
Filling:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 can (12-14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
- Lemon zest from one lemon
- 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Mix all ingredients together in small mixer bowl and beat until fluffy. Pour into prepared pie crust and refrigerate four hours. Top with fruit topping and whip cream.
Graham cracker crust:
- 1-3/4 cups crushed graham crackers
- 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Combine ingredients; press onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
Fresh fruit topping:
- 2 cups fresh berries
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tbsps. cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
Crush half of the berries and place in kettle. In measuring cup, combine cold water and cornstarch. Stir till blended; add to crushed berries and cook until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Clean and halve, if needed, remaining berries and combine with cooked berries. Spread over the cream cheese pie and chill until ready to serve. Top with whipped cream.
