Whipped Berry Cream Pie

Y3, Week Four: The Perfect Summer Pie

My sister can’t decide if I’m a vampire or a zombie.

Fact one: I’m extremely pale, even for Wisconsin. I once went to see a skin cancer specialist (I was fine), and as he was looking at my back he got really quiet. Generally, it’s never a good thing when a doctor gets really quiet so I asked him what was wrong. He responded with hushed awe, “Why, you’re positively alabaster!” So here’s doctor who spends his days looking at nothing but pale Wisconsin skin and I stood out above all others as being particularly lacking in pigment. Awesome. Needless to say I have an extensive sun hat collection.

Fact two: I’m always cold and relatively impervious to heat. I’ve been known to have my toes go numb at 55° and I sometimes wear three sweaters in the winter. Conversely, I function fantastically in the summer. Especially during a heat wave, and we’ve had a doozy of one here this year. Day after day in the mid to high-nineties (we usually clock in around 85°), and I’m out there taking walks at mid-day, long-sleeves, hat (natch), 500 gallons of sunblock, happy as a clam.

What does all this have to do with this week’s pie? Nothing, except that in this very imperfect, heat and drought afflicted season, everyone I’ve given this pie to has described it as the “perfect summer pie.” So I’d like to think I’ve given those who aren’t the living dead a little bit of a nice summer. Am I a vampire or zombie? The jury’s still out. In my favor, I neither sparkle or drink blood. And although I’ve been known to lumber aimlessly about, I have not, to my knowledge, consumed brains. Though I do love sashimi. We’ll have to keep tabs on that one.

Oh, and this pie is red, white, and blue. Happy Fourth of July everyone!

WHIPPED BERRY CREAM PIE

Note: This recipe calls for a deep dish pie pan. If you are using a regular pan, cut ingredients by approximately 25%.

Another note: I originally made this pie without the whipped cream layer. I had thought that there would be more of a color difference between the raspberry and blackberry layers, but they turned out to be remarkably similar pigment-wise. I think the addition of a cream layer between them will help to highlight the differences.

Crushed Wafer Crust

2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1 stick butter
1/3 cup sugar

Heat oven to 350°.

Place crackers in a plastic zip bag and Hulk-out until they have been reduced to fine crumbs. Melt the butter and mix thoroughly with crumbs, and sugar. Press firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9″ deep dish pie pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to set. Bake at 350° for 10 min. Let cool completely before adding filling (can be done in the refrigerator).

Fruit Jams

This is optional. You are welcome to buy premade jam, but I find the flavor is better if you make it yourself. Best made the day before and kept in the refrigerator overnight.

Make this twice, once with the raspberries, and once with the blackberries

1 12oz package of frozen raspberries or blackberries
1/2 cup sugar

Place the frozen berries and the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat and bring to a low boil. Keep at a low boil, occasionally stirring and mashing the berries, until jam is thickened (about 20-25 minutes). Be careful not to let it burn.

Remove from heat. Press the mixture through a strainer to remove seeds (I find that it’s easier to do this in smaller amounts, just a couple of spoonfuls at a time). Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until cooled and thickened.

Whipped Cream Filling

Adapted from Gingerbread Bagels “Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes”

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
4 oz mascarpone
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl of stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the heavy whipping cream on high-speed until stiff peaks form. Put the whipped cream in another bowl and set aside.

In the same bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add in the powdered sugar, mascarpone, and vanilla and mix on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until smooth.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold it in to loosen it up. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Keep in the refrigerator until needed.

Whipped Berry Fillings

Adapted from Gingerbread Bagels “Mini Red Velvet Cupcakes”

Make this part twice! Once with the raspberry jam, and once with the blackberry jam.

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 (8 oz) package mascarpone
1/4-1/2 cup raspberry or blackberry jam

In a bowl of stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix the heavy whipping cream on high-speed until stiff peaks form. Put the whipped cream in another bowl and set aside.

In the same bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add in the powdered sugar, mascarpone, and fruit confeit and mix on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until smooth.

Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold it in to loosen it up. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Keep in the refrigerator until needed.

Assembly

Everything you’ve prepared so far

Fill baked shell to with the blackberry filling, then gently spread whipped cream filling over it to cover completely, and finish with the raspberry filling. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Decorate with fresh fruit if desired, serve cold.