The Kentucky Derby is held the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville Kentucky. There are several traditions associated with the Derby. Mint Juleps are the traditional drink and Burgoo, a thick stew of beef, chicken, pork and vegetables is served on Derby Day. Ladies attending the Derby are dressed to the nines in their finest outfits wearing very elaborately decorated hats. But the celebrations aren't limited to race tracks, there will be parties all over Kentucky on Saturday to celebrate the "Fastest Two Minutes In Sports". Derby Day will be celebrated with family, friends and GOOD FOOD in backyard parties across Kentucky. In honor of Derby Day I made a Blueberry Cream Chiffon Pie that's so pretty it'll take the prize at any celebration you bring it too.
This pie has three layers. The bottom layer is a deep blueberry color, the layer above it is a lighter shade of blueberry and the top layer is the lightest layer. This pie isn't just good looking, it taste fantastic! It's as light as a feather, the perfect warm weather dessert. I've taken lots of pictures to show you how those layers are made so lets get started!
Making a graham cracker crust.
The recipe said to make a Vanilla Cookie Crust for this recipe but I chose to make a graham cracker crust. You can also buy either a 9 inch vanilla cookie crust or graham cracker crust and save some time. I made my crust with 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 stick of melted butter.
Combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
Mix ingredients well.
Spread evenly over bottom and up sides of a 9 inch pie pan. I used my 1/4 cup measuring cup to spread and press the crumbs into the crust.
Using the 1/4 cup measuring cup gave me a nice even crust on the bottom and sides of the pie pan.
Bake crust at 350 degrees for 8 minute, cool on wire rack.
Reserve 24 berries for garnishing the pie. (I didn't use 24 berries for garnishing) Place the remaining berries in a medium saucepan, mash them with the back of a spoon or potato masher until most of the berries are broken. Pour in the 1 cup of water and sprinkle the gelatin over the water, let it sit 3 or 4 minutes till the gelatin softens. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until it comes to a rolling boil and gelatin is dissolved. Let this cool slightly.
Place a strainer under a medium bowl.
Pour the blueberries into the strainer.
Take a spoon and lightly mash the pulp of the berries so you get the juice out. Set juice to the side.
Throw the pulp away.
In a large bowl, combine 8 ounces cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar.
Beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
You are now going to combine the blueberry juice with the cream cheese.
Add the blueberry juice to the cream cheese mixture a 1/4 cup at a time while whisking.
Keep whisking till all the blueberry juice is whisked into the cream cheese. Beautiful color isn't it?
Your going to take this blueberry cream cheese mixture and refrigerate it.
Refrigerate the blueberry- cream cheese filling until it mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. It doesn't take long for it to mound, maybe 15 - 20 minutes.
After the blueberry-cream cheese has mounded ,beat 2 egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of sugar to the soft peaks and beat until stiff peaks form.
Take the beaten egg whites and add them to the blueberry- cream cheese filling you had in the refrigerator.
Fold the two together until it's well incorporated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the blueberry-cream cheese filling. Set it aside, this will be used to make your second layer.
Spoon the rest of the mixture into the prepared crust.
With the back of a spoon, shape the filling so that it's higher around the edges of the crust so your second layer can nestle onto the top of this layer. We have made our first layer!
For our second layer....Place one cup of whipping cream into a medium bowl.
Immediately beat whipping cream. Beat until it's ...whipped cream! Reserve 1/2 cup of whipped cream. Set it aside, this will be used to make our 3rd layer.
Take the reserved 1/2 cup of blueberry-cream cheese filling and add the rest of the whipped cream.
Fold to incorporate evenly. Reserve 1/4 cup of filling. Set aside, this will be used to make the 3rd layer.
Spoon the whipped cream- blueberry filling onto the middle of the pie, on top of the first layer. Our second layer is made!
Take the reserved 1/2 cup of whipped cream and fold it into the 1/4 cup of filling.
Spoon it onto and in the middle of your second layer. Your third layer is done!!!! Garnish the pie with the blueberries you set aside in the beginning of the recipe. Refrigerate the pie for 3 hours or longer.
This isn't an overly sweet pie, everything comes together perfectly to make a light delicious dessert. I imagine if you can make this with blueberries, you could make it with strawberries or raspberries following the same instructions. Haven't tried it yet, but you can bet I will! Enjoy!
Blueberry Cheese Chiffon Pie
Pies and Pastries
Jane Pittman Book
1 stick butter or margarine, melted.
Combine crumbs, sugar and melted butter, mix well. Spread evenly over bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan, pressing firmly. Chill one hour before filling or bake in 350 degree oven for 8 minutes.
Reserve 24 berries for garnish.
Place remaining berries in a medium saucepan. Mash with a potato masher until most berries are broken. Pour in water. Sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand 2 to 5 minutes to soften gelatin. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture comes to a full boil and gelatin is dissolved. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Place a strainer over another medium bowl. Pour blueberry mixture into strainer. Lightly mash pulp with a large spoon to remove all juices. Discard pulp. Add blueberry juice to cream cheese mixer a 1/4 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until smooth. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.
First Layer:
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. gradually beat in a 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into blueberry mixture. Spoon 2 1/2 cups into crust. Reserve leftover blueberry mixture for second layer. shape with a spoon to make filling slightly higher around edges.
Second Layer
Immediately beat cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside 1/2 cup whipped cream. Fold remaining whipped cream into reserved blueberry mixture in medium bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the whipped cream-blueberry mixture. Spoon the rest of the blueberry - whipped cream mixture onto the first layer in the center of the pie. The lighter filling will gradually push the darker filling to the edge, leaving a 1 inch darker border around filling.
Third Layer
Fold remaining 1/4 cup of filling into reserved 1/2 cup whipped cream. Spoon onto center of pie. Garnish pie with reserved blueberries, refrigerate 3 hours or longer.
