Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

Blueberry Pie
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

There are many ways to make blueberry pie but I have found that this is one of the tastiest. It’s also a great alternative to anyone who is not overly fond of double-crusted pies as this one is all about the filling!

Now, I love blueberries but sometimes I find they need a little help with a flavour boost.  That’s why I have created this recipe for a blueberry filling that adds a gentle amount of cinnamon and nutmeg along with some orange juice and orange rind.  To add a bit of depth and complexity to the flavor, I add a couple of tablespoons of Grand Marnier liqueur after the filling has cooked and been removed from the heat.  This is an optional ingredient but a lovely flavor addition to the pie if you have the liqueur on hand.

As with any food, it is important to know what flavor combinations work and will complement each other.  Cinnamon and nutmeg are two spices that go well with blueberries and, of course, blueberry and orange have long been a successful flavor combo. The other thing that is important is not to add in too many different flavors (or too much of any one additional flavor) as that can confuse the palate, detract from the authentic blueberry flavor, and not have the desired result.  Sometimes less really is more!

The blueberries I used in this recipe are locally-grown here on PEI. Over the past few years, a number of high bush blueberry u-picks have begun operating around the Island.   These are the lovely, large plump blueberries which are very easy to pick off bushes so no need to get down on hands and knees to find them. They grown in clusters on the vine, almost like grapes and are quick, easy, and clean to pick. When these blueberries are in season in August and early September, we always have them fresh.  The berries freeze well and this pie can certainly be made with the frozen berries so it can be enjoyed at any time throughout the year.

Summer Berries
PEI Blueberries

This is one of the those pies that is best eaten the day it is made so plan to make the pie early in the morning, let it chill for the afternoon, and enjoy it with a dollop of whipped cream as a special dessert treat for dinner.

Blueberry and Grand Marnier Pie
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

[printable recipe follows at end of posting]

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Ingredients:

9” baked pie shell, cooled

6 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp sugar
1½ tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla

¾ cup granulated sugar
3½ tbsp cornstarch
Dash salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp finely grated orange rind
12 oz. high bush blueberries (apx. 2½ cups)
2 tsp orange juice
2 tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
½ tbsp butter

1 cup whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp sugar

Method:

In small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Spread over bottom of baked and cooled pie shell. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

In small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and grated orange rind together.  In medium-sized saucepan, combine the blueberries, orange juice, and cornstarch-sugar-spice mixture.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in Grand Marnier liqueur and butter.  Let mixture cool to room temperature then spread over chilled cream cheese base.  Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow pie to set.

Beat whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form then slowly beat in the sugar. Add a dollop of the whipped cream to each individual pie serving or, alternatively, completely cover chilled pie with the whipped cream. Refrigerate until use.  Pie is best eaten the day it is made.  (Note: Cool Whip can be substituted for the whipped cream, if desired.)

Yield:  One 9” pie.

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Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

 

Blueberry and Grand Marnier Pie
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

Yield: One 9" pie

A luscious and decadent blueberry cream cheese pie that combines high bush blueberries with cinnamon, nutmeg and orange liqueur flavorings

Ingredients

  • 9” baked pie shell, cooled
  • 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1½ tbsp milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 3½ tbsp cornstarch
  • Dash salt
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp finely grated orange rind
  • 12 oz. high bush blueberries (apx. 2½ cups)
  • 2 tsp orange juice
  • 2 tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
  • ½ tbsp butter
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

  1. In small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, milk, and vanilla. Spread over bottom of baked and cooled pie shell. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
  2. In small bowl, combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and grated orange rind together. In medium-sized saucepan, combine the blueberries, orange juice, and cornstarch-sugar-spice mixture. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in Grand Marnier liqueur and butter. Let mixture cool to room temperature then spread over chilled cream cheese base. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow pie to set.
  3. Beat whipping cream and vanilla until soft peaks form then slowly beat in the sugar. Add a dollop of the whipped cream to each individual pie serving or, alternatively, completely cover chilled pie with the whipped cream. Refrigerate until use. Pie is best eaten the day it is made. (Note: Cool Whip can be substituted for the whipped cream, if desired.)
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For more great blueberry recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen, click on these links:

Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam

Blueberry Bread Pudding with Grand Marnier Sauce

Blueberry Barbeque Sauce

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Grunt

Blueberry Buckle

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Picnic by the Confederation Bridge in PEI

A PEI Picnic
Picnic by the Confederation Bridge

Picnics are a favorite summertime activity for us. We like to do a lot of daytripping around our province discovering and revisiting all that our wonderful Island has to offer.  Prince Edward Island has many great locations that are suitable for picnics.  Our picnic last weekend took us to a scenic location near the Confederation Bridge in Borden-Carleton.

Bridge between PEI and New Brunswick
Confederation Bridge

This bridge transcends the Northumberland Strait linking PEI with New Brunswick. At 12.9km (8 miles) in length, the bridge is the longest bridge in the world that crosses ice-covered water. Our Island winters can be quite harsh and the Strait is covered in thick ice for several months of the year. Building a bridge to withstand these conditions was no easy feat.

Before the bridge opened to traffic on May 31, 1997, the only ways on and off PEI were by ferry or air.  Ferry service does still operate seasonally in the Eastern part of the Province at Wood Islands where ferries transport vehicular traffic between PEI and Nova Scotia.

The Confederation Bridge curves partway across the Strait and has a high navigational span that allows large ships to pass under the bridge.  It’s pretty cool to see the large cruise ships going under the bridge!

Because the Confederation Bridge is an iconic element of PEI, it makes a fitting backdrop for a summertime Island picnic.

Summer Picnic in PEI
Bridge View

So, now that the stage has been set for the location, back to the picnic……I have chosen to go with a black and white theme and I’m a big fan of checkered fabric – checks just seem to speak of picnics. I have chosen to use my plain black dinner napkins and have wrapped the cutlery inside the napkins. This is easy to do before leaving home and it keeps the items together.  To give the classy black napkins a more casual look for a picnic, I have tied each napkin with narrow twine.

To add a punch of color to the table, I selected small bright yellow sunflowers paired with Bells of Ireland.  Whether I am setting the table for an event at home or on the road, I like to see a well set table! These flowers were locally grown at Island Meadow Farm in York, PEI.  They grow the most amazing array of flowers and I like to use them in my summer tablesettings.

Summer Flowers
Sunflowers and Bells of Ireland

Picnics are meant to be casual fare so, while I always try to have a main, a side, some fruit, something sweet, and a beverage, I often like to include some finger/snacking foods as I have done today.  Let’s start with the PEI mussels in the shell. These are steamed mussels to which I have added some red and orange pepper, celery, and red onion. A light dressing of a red wine vinaigrette makes these tasty little morsels.

Mussels
PEI Mussels

Cold cuts, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber are always good nibbling foods (and they add great color to the table).

Cold Cut Tray
The Nibbling Tray

DSC_0026

I wrapped peach wedges inside basil leaves and prosciutto (seen in the photo below). These little picnic hors d’oeuvres add color, texture, and flavor to the menu. They go particularly well with Gouda cheese.

Picnic Hors d'oeuvres
Peaches in Prosciutto

I have chosen small tomato quiches for the main in today’s picnic. The great thing about quiches is that they can be served, hot, warm, or cold and, when cold, are great travelers for the picnic basket.

Quiche
Tomato Quiche

And, for a side, I opted for a quinoa salad with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. To the quinoa I added peppers, corn, celery, red onion, and kale from our garden. Packing the salad into small Mason jars is an easy way to transport salads on a picnic.

Salad in a Mason Jar
Quinoa Salad

Plates are not always necessary for picnics.  Here, I have used small breadboards which work equally well and they are easy to pack.

Picnic
The Picnic Lunch

I popped by the Tryon Blueberries U-Pick in North Tryon on my way and picked a box of these amazing high-bush blueberries.  I live on these berries when they are in season on the Island!

Summer Berries
PEI Blueberries

And, for the sweet tooth, I took along some of my homemade snickerdoodle cookies.

Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies

And, as an extra special treat, we enjoyed Belgian chocolates that we brought home from a wonderful visit to Brugge, Belgium. If you ever have the chance to visit Brugge, I highly recommend it. You can view photos of my visit to Brugge over on my travel blog, Island Shore Traveler, by clicking here.

Chocolates
Belgian Chocolates

I like to choose foods and elements to the picnic that are colorful and that blend well together.

Picnic Time
A PEI Summer Picnic

I hope you have enjoyed a little “taste” of my picnic by the bridge.

PEI Picnic
Picnic by the Bridge

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PEI Picnic
Picnic by the Confederation Bridge, PEI

Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam Recipe

Blueberry Jam
Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam

Today, I am sharing my recipe for Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam!  Blueberry and orange are a great flavor combo so why not add a little kick to the jam by adding an orange-flavored liqueur. This does add a level of richness and flavor complexity to the jam. Continue reading Blueberry and Grand Marnier Jam Recipe