Easy No-Bake Cheesecake with Huckleberries

I've been away for a few days because we are visiting my wonderful (seriously) in-laws up in the wilds of Northern Idaho.  I do mean Northern too, since we are only about 25 miles from the border of British Columbia.  It is truly beautiful up here and we have had a great trip already.

We have enjoyed spending time together as a family and in doing simple things - being outside, boating on a lake, fishing, riding horses and 4-wheelers, playing on a trampoline and playing with the dogs, listening to the cows, driving on country roads, and visiting local attractions.  We even had a campfire so Aidan could make s'mores and both boys caught their first fish!

Among all these things, we even got rained out a couple of days and used the time to enjoy a movies and games as well as some delicious recipes.  I'll be sharing a crock-pot lasagna recipe in the near future, but I wanted to tell you about this truly delicious and simple dessert in time for any last minute Father's Day ideas.

My mother-in-law got this recipe from another family member for a no-bake Cherry Cheesecake, and since my husband is such a fiend for huckleberries, and his Mom always makes sure to have some on hand, we decided to top the cheesecake with a warm concoction of huckleberries instead. 

The pie itself is light and fluffy and would be wonderful with most any topping your little heart - or that of any Dad in your life - desires.  Happy Father's Day!  

Easy No-Bake Cheesecake with Huckleberries

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix together and press into a 9-inch pie pan, in the bottom and up the sides.  Set aside and make filling.

For the pie filling:

1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups cold whipped cream or Cool Whip

Beat all three ingredients together well, until light and fluffy.  Place in prepared pie crust.  Chill at least 1 hour. Serve with cooled huckleberry topping (below).

For the topping:
3 cups huckleberries, frozen or thawed
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Stir together well in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken.  Once thickened, place in a heatproof bowl and allow to cool.  Serve over cream cheese pie.

TWD: Chocolate Cream Tart

The oh so fabulous and talented Kim at Scrumptious Photography (and seriously is it ever!) chose the Chocolate Cream Tart for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie pick! Thanks Kim!

Me and chocolate cream pies go way back. You could say that this of all pies is my BFF, my very favorite of all time. You see, my whole life, my family has always preferred pies like apple, peach, cherry, etc. Baked fruit. If you know me at all, then you know that me and baked fruit really aren't much of BFF's. I have learned to like some baked fruits, like peaches, but other than that, not so much.

Every holiday season though, my mom, wonderful woman that she is, was kind enough to let me choose my own special pie. It was almost always chocolate cream which I more often than not got almost all to myself! Not bad. Not bad at all.

This Chocolate Cream Tart takes it up a couple notches and is just ridiculously good. I have now made this chocolate shortbread crust 4 or 5 times and absolutely love it (even just as cookies!). The chocolate cream itself was easy and relatively quick to put together and was silky and amazing. All the components together were perfect and the very best chocolate cream tart, pie or whatever that I've ever had.

Since this was always my favorite in the holiday season (or really any time) this is also my entry for this month's You Want Pies With That event for Family Favorites.

TWD: Banana Cream Pie

Banana Cream Pie. Oh how I love Banana Cream Pie. I have to say that Dorie's variation on it is a really nice riff. Creamy, dreamy pastry cream, lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. This week's recipe was chosen by Amy at Sing for Your Supper. It is one I've been wanting to try for a while now, so I'm so glad she chose it.

For the crust, we used Dorie's recipe and as always it was tender and delicious. While I can't say with conviction that this is my favorite version of a banana cream pie, it was a really nice change. If you love a little spice with your bananas, then definitely head over to Amy's blog for the recipe, or better yet, get your copy of Baking From My Home To Yours!

My pie this week is also my entry to You Want Pies With That? The theme this time around, chosen by Jacque and Natashya was Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous. While I don't think you could say that my celebrity of choice is rich, he is definitely famous. Funny enough it was the first celebrity I thought of, probably because I was listening to the soundtrack with Aidan when I was reading about the theme.

So, my celebrity of choice, also chosen by Aidan, is Curious George. We cut the extra dough into little elliptical shapes and used the back of a knife to press a leaf pattern into the dough. I also brushed the edges with a little egg wash (1 lg egg + 1 Tablespoon water, beaten) to help it brown nicely.

We have loved Curious George, well, counting me, since I was a kid. I think he would love this creamy pie with its layers and layers of bananas and the fun leaves around the edges.

Check the Tuesdays with Dorie blogroll to see how everyone elses' pies turned out!

Fashion Pie: It's All About Layers - Seven Layer Red Velvet Cream Pie

Long ago I worked at a couple of restaurants. Both of them happened to specialize in pies. At one of the restaurants they served Boston Cream Pie, which I love, but they served it with a twist on the old cake version. They actually had a pie crust on the bottom. It was extremely tall and I loved it.

As I was thinking about what to make for my contribution to my Pies as a Fashion Statement Theme for this month's You Want Pies With That? Event, I kept coming back to that pie. I've always had an issue with the fact that it seems like when people are looking for a dessert to be a show stopper for an event it doesn't seem like pie gets enough attention. Since that is what this event is all about to me, I decided to make my take on the Boston Cream pie, with some more fall-like colors and flavors.

As for the fashion part of things, with me, it is all about layers really, and solid colors. I'm not really much for patterns or prints. If you look in my closet, you might find a few, but not really. More likely you'll find a lot of dark colors and solid fabrics. Fall is especially my favorite time of year for fashion because this is when I can really layer a bit more and bring out some more colors that work together. Among my favorites are creams, dark browns, reds, whites. So, that is what you get here.

To reinvent my Fashion Pie I went with lots of layers of flavor too. This pie, I must say, turned out really fantastic. As you can see from the lame interior pictures I had no patience and had to dig in. If you make this, just let it chill for a couple of hours before cutting into it... or accept the fact that it is going to ooze all over itself and cut away. Either way, I guarantee this is one delicious show stopper of a pie.

So, here are the layers. This pie was a bit involved to make, but all the different components can be made ahead at different times, then held and assembled when you have time.

Top Layer: Chocolate Ganache
Layer 5: Red Velvet Cake
Layer 4: Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Layer 3: Red Velvet Cake
Layer 2: Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
Layer 1: Chocolate Ganache
Bottom Layer: Pecan Tart Shell

The recipes aren't in order of how I made them, but below is the order I think is best to make the components in. I actually did this over a couple of days to break up the work. I'm also posting the actual assembly of all the components at the end so that it makes sense as to how this works.

Day 1:
Make first: Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream (because it has to chill)
Make second: Chocolate Ganache (because it has to chill)

Day 2:
Make first: Pecan Tart Shell (because it has to chill, bake and cool)
Make second: Red Velvet Cake Layers (because they have to bake and cool)

Pecan Tart Shell
(Adapted from Epicurious)
1 cup pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ice water
raw rice for weighting the shell

Make the shell:
In a food processor grind coarse the pecans with the sugar and transfer the mixture to a bowl. In the food processor blend together the flour, the butter, and the salt until the mixture resembles meal and add the flour mixture to the pecan mixture. Add the ice water, toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, and press it onto the bottom and up the side of a 9-inch (1-quart) tart pan. Chill the shell for 1 hour, prick it all over with a fork, and line it with foil. Fill the foil with the rice, bake the shell in the lower third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 10 minutes, and remove the foil and rice carefully. Reduce the heat to 375°F., bake the shell for 12 to 15 minutes more, or until it is golden brown, and let it cool on a rack.

Chocolate Ganache
(Adapted from Epicurious)
6 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1/4 cup heavy cream

For the Chocolate Ganache:
In a small metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt the chocolate with the cream, stirring until the mixture is smooth, spread the mixture in the bottom and halfway up the side of the shell, and let it cool. Chill the shell.

Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream
(Source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking From My Home To Yours) - Recipe coming soon

Chocolate Ganache
(Source: Dorie Greenspan, Baking From My Home To Yours) - Recipe coming soon

Red Velvet Cake
(Adapted from Paula Deen)
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature
1 large egg
1 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 ounce red food coloring
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well.

Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla.

In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 2 (8 -inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place in pans on a rack to cool completely.

Assembly:
Measure about 3/4 cup of the chocolate ganache into a small heatproof bowl. Leave the remaining ganache out to come to room temperature or loosen enough to be spreadable. Heat over a small pan of simmering water, enough to loosen it and make it pourable. Pour the warmed ganache into the tart shell. Place the shell into the freezer to chill and harden, about 3o minutes (more if you want very defined layers).

When the shell is well chilled, remove it from the freezer and remove the outer ring of the tart shell and place the shell onto your dessert platter, with a good sized rim to catch any excess ganache.

Measure about half of the pastry cream into the tart shell on top of the chilled ganache and spread evenly.

Place one of the cake layers on top of the pastry cream. Gently spread a thick layer of the remaining pastry cream on top of the cake layer and top with the remaining cake layer, placing the layer with the bottom of the cake at the top for the most smooth surface.

Gently stir the remaining ganache a few times with a rubber spatula to make smooth and spreadable. Pour gently onto the top of the cake and gently spread to almost the sides of the cake layer. Push just to the edge to let it slowly glaze down the sides a bit.

Place the whole thing in the refrigerator to set before serving, at least 1 hour (or, as I mentioned before, cut and take the messy consequences).