My fondest childhood memories of growing up in the Deep South took place after the school bell rang at three o'clock. I'd begin the ten-minute walk to my grandparents' house, where an after-school snack was always waiting under the shade of a giant oak tree.
I used to work for Martha Stewart. But to this day, I'd argue that my grandpa had the greenest thumb my eyes have ever seen. Nestled on an acre of land were an assortment of fresh vegetables, fruit trees, a green house and a compost heap — the best soil, after all, is nurtured.
I never began school after Labor Day until I moved nearly 1,500 miles north to Boston for college. In the south, kids are always back in their uniforms by August. The dog days of summer aren't over and yet they're already starting to dream of fall.
In late summer, blueberries still ripen daily on the vine. When I arrived at my grandparent's house on August days, grandpa and I would grab plastic milk jugs with the tops cut off and head straight to his prized blueberry bushes. We'd fill them until they were overflowing — except for what we ate straight off of the vine. (That was our little secret.)
Back in the kitchen, grandma would freeze excess berries for the winter days when we'd be longing for summer again. (Isn't interesting how we always anticipate the change in season?) The oven already pre-heated, she'd proceed to bake fresh wonders like blueberry bran muffins or blueberry cobbler with a lattice crust. A cold scoop of vanilla ice cream would always melt on top like a crown. Ice cream was grandpa's favorite.
These days, I spend summers on the beaches of Long Island. And, after a hot day in the sun, the last thing I want to turn on is the oven. That's why I opt for no-bake desserts as the weather heats up. My favorite end of summer recipe is pastry chef Meghan McGarry's no-bake blueberry gingersnap cheesecake pie. It perfectly marries all of my traditions old and new, and soon you'll see why.
If you search online for a no-bake cheesecake recipe, the truth is the recipes you come across may be simple and dull. After you mix cream cheese and sugar together, there never seems to be enough filling for the endless graham cracker crust. Not with this recipe.
"It looks beautiful, it comforts you and it packs a big punch of flavor," McGarry tells Salon of her cheesecake pie. "Yet it's so low-maintenance."
This is a dessert that's perfect to break out at the beach or bring along to an outdoor barbecue or picnic — smiles on all who dig in, guaranteed.
An exceptional cheesecake is built on a strong foundation. For the crust, McGarry nods ahead to the fall baking season by replacing ordinary graham crackers with ginger snap cookie crumbs. Hints of cinnamon and spice instantly make the dessert more inviting and also provide balance to the sweetness of the filling, which is so light and airy that it almost resembles a mousse.
Recipe: No-Bake Blueberry Gingersnap Cheesecake Pie
Ingredients:
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- 2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
- 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
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- 16 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 12 ounces heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. bourbon
- 12 ounces blueberries, about 1 full pint
- 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. fresh orange juice
- 2 tsp. bourbon
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray pie plate with non stick spray.
- Mix crumbs, sugar, salt and melted butter together. Press into pan evenly.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Head over to Buttercream Blondie for the rest of the recipe — and other ways to reimagine your favorite blueberry and no bake-desserts.
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