Blueberry Cream Pie with Streusel Topping

When my husband & I were in college we both worked at one of the university's food service buildings.  I was in the bakery & he was a weekend supervisor for one of the cafeterias & also worked the midnight pizza shift.  We worked completely opposite times.  He would get home from work at midnight & I would go in to work at midnight or 2:00 a.m.  Just enough time to say, "Bye honey, love you!"  Sad!  Tis the life of young, married, poor college students.

Anyway, during my husband's weekend shifts he would help cut up the desserts that we made & plate them up to put in the dessert case for the students to eat.  You know college dorms & the food plans they have at the all-you-can-eat cafeterias; hence the reason why most students gain the freshman fifteen.  Well, he would always tell me that when we made this pie he would save him a slice on the side to eat when he took his break.  It was his favorite dessert that we made.  I also really love this pie.  I have changed it a little bit because I don't buy the blueberry pie filling that bakeries use in bulk, I just use frozen berries, but it tastes great.

This pie is perfect for any occasion & will definitely be one you'll want to make again & again.  

Blueberry Cream Pie with Streusel Topping

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Streusel:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp vanilla

Pie Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening (Crisco)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 Tbsp COLD water
• 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar

Blueberry Layer:

• 4-5 cups frozen blueberries (I buy the 48oz bag at Sam's Club & it was about half or just over half the bag.)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp cornstarch

Extras:

• 1/4 cup plain panko bread crumbs

1. Prepare streusel: Put oats, sugar, flour & cinnamon in a bowl.  Add butter & cut with a pastry blender or fork until pea size crumbs form.  Set aside.
2. Prepare cream cheese: Place cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla in a bowl.  Cream together for 1 minute or until smooth.  Set aside.
3. Prepare pie crust:  In a large bowl, combine flour & salt.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or fork until pea size crumbs form.  Whisk egg & add to flour mixture.  Add cold water & white vinegar.  Mix together with hands & form into a ball.  Lightly dust working surface with flour.  Roll out pie dough into a circle about 1/4" thick.  Place crust into a 9" standard pie dish.  Cut off excess dough with a knife against the edge of the pie dish.  Crimp edges.
4. Spread cream cheese mixture on the bottom of the prepared pie crust & place in the freezer.
5. For the blueberries: Place frozen berries in a large bowl.  Stir sugar & cornstarch together in a separate bowl & then pour over blueberries.  Using a spatula gently mix the berries.  Place the bowl in the microwave & heat for 60 seconds.  Stir.  Repeat 3 times making sure to gently fold the berries as they thaw slightly (won't be completely thawed, but starting to release juices & soften.)
6. Remove pie crust with cream cheese from the freezer.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup plain panko crumbs over cream cheese (this helps the blueberry liquid from curdling the cream cheese.)  Pour blueberries over the panko.  Top with prepared streusel.
7. Bake at 350*F for 60 minutes or until the blueberry filling starts to bubble. Remove from oven, let cool before slicing & serving.  

*Serves 8.

When my husband & I were in college we both worked at one of the university's food service buildings.  I was in the bakery & he was a weekend supervisor for one of the cafeterias & also worked the midnight pizza shift.  We worked completely opposite times.  He would get home from work at midnight & I would go in to work at midnight or 2:00 a.m.  Just enough time to say, "Bye honey, love you!"  Sad!  Tis the life of young, married, poor college students.

Anyway, during my husband's weekend shifts he would help cut up the desserts that we made & plate them up to put in the dessert case for the students to eat.  You know college dorms & the food plans they have at the all-you-can-eat cafeterias; hence the reason why most students gain the freshman fifteen.  Well, he would always tell me that when we made this pie he would save him a slice on the side to eat when he took his break.  It was his favorite dessert that we made.  I also really love this pie.  I have changed it a little bit because I don't buy the blueberry pie filling that bakeries use in bulk, I just use frozen berries, but it tastes great.

This pie is perfect for any occasion & will definitely be one you'll want to make again & again.  

Blueberry Cream Pie with Streusel Topping

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Streusel:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream Cheese Layer:

• 4 oz cream cheese
• 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp vanilla

Pie Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening (Crisco)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 Tbsp COLD water
• 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar

Blueberry Layer:

• 4-5 cups frozen blueberries (I buy the 48oz bag at Sam's Club & it was about half or just over half the bag.)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp cornstarch

Extras:

• 1/4 cup plain panko bread crumbs

1. Prepare streusel: Put oats, sugar, flour & cinnamon in a bowl.  Add butter & cut with a pastry blender or fork until pea size crumbs form.  Set aside.
2. Prepare cream cheese: Place cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla in a bowl.  Cream together for 1 minute or until smooth.  Set aside.
3. Prepare pie crust:  In a large bowl, combine flour & salt.  Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or fork until pea size crumbs form.  Whisk egg & add to flour mixture.  Add cold water & white vinegar.  Mix together with hands & form into a ball.  Lightly dust working surface with flour.  Roll out pie dough into a circle about 1/4" thick.  Place crust into a 9" standard pie dish.  Cut off excess dough with a knife against the edge of the pie dish.  Crimp edges.
4. Spread cream cheese mixture on the bottom of the prepared pie crust & place in the freezer.
5. For the blueberries: Place frozen berries in a large bowl.  Stir sugar & cornstarch together in a separate bowl & then pour over blueberries.  Using a spatula gently mix the berries.  Place the bowl in the microwave & heat for 60 seconds.  Stir.  Repeat 3 times making sure to gently fold the berries as they thaw slightly (won't be completely thawed, but starting to release juices & soften.)
6. Remove pie crust with cream cheese from the freezer.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup plain panko crumbs over cream cheese (this helps the blueberry liquid from curdling the cream cheese.)  Pour blueberries over the panko.  Top with prepared streusel.
7. Bake at 350*F for 60 minutes or until the blueberry filling starts to bubble. Remove from oven, let cool before slicing & serving.  

*Serves 8.