WHITE CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

[Kitchen Witch]

WHITE CHOCOLATE BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE PIE

Makes one 9-inch pie.
For the crust:
1 -1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1/4 cup toasted almonds, chopped
2 ounces white baking chocolate, melted

For the cream filling:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 -1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

For the blueberry filling:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 16-ounce package frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
3 tablespoons butter

For the garnish:
Sliced strawberries
Make the crust:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, blend in Crisco until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with water and stir until dough forms a ball. Flatten ball into a disc; wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. On a lightly floured cutting board or counter, roll chilled dough out into a 10-inch circle. Transfer dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold edges under and crimp as desired. Prick bottom and sides of crust several times with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake crust for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool crust completely on a wire rack.
3. Sprinkle bottom of crust with almonds, and drizzle with 2 ounces melted white chocolate; set aside.

Make the cream filling:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, melted white chocolate, sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel until smooth. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the whipped cream.
2. Cover filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble pie.

Make the blueberry filling:
1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, stir together sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved. Add blueberries and continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted; cool filling, then refrigerate until ready to assemble pie.

Assemble the pie:
1. Using a rubber spatula, spread cream filling over almonds and chocolate on bottom of the crust. Top with blueberry filling, smoothing the top.
2. Refrigerate pie until serving time. Before serving, garnish by placing sliced strawberries around the inside edge of the pie, forming a circle.