Breakfast Pi(e)

I almost always miss Pi Day, which is so silly of me. This year I was not going to be thwarted! I was looking through The Book on Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies by Erin Jeanne McDowell, and found a recipe for Breakfast Pie that wasn't savory, but seemed like it would be a mix between a no-bake cheesecake and a yogurt parfait. Sold! And that's what it turned out tasting like.

If I made this again, I'm not sure I'd make it in pie shape because mine at least didn't set up firmly. I did use organic whole milk yogurt that wasn't Greek yogurt, not sure if that matters. The recipe called specifically for Greek style, but I missed that detail. There were a few more crust suggestions to pair with the recipe that also sounded good, especially oatmeal cookie crust. The pie mixture itself is super tasty and would be good in a trifle or parfait. It reminds me of the Russian Cream we made for Mother's Day at the restaurant I worked at in 2001 - it's a different combo of dairy ingredients but has a similar texture and tang, and is served with fruit. If I made this again in pie form I might also swirl the jam through instead of putting it just on the bottom. It all ended up mixed together when I served it anyway!

Breakfast Pie

2/3 cup jam, marmalade, or preserves
1 9-inch crumb crust made with granola, or graham cracker crust
12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups berries or sliced fresh fruit of choice
Honey for drizzling

1. Spoon the jam into the bottom of the cooled crust and spread into an even layer. Chill while you make the filling.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the yogurt, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix well to combine.
3. Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or up to 24 hours).
4. When ready to serve, arrange the fruit on top of the pie. If desired, drizzle honey over the fruit. Slice and serve.

Notes from JennyBakes:

-It's easy to make a few subs for lower-sugar items here, from making more of a nut or low-carb granola crust to using a no-sugar-added jam to using coconut sugar or brown sugar splenda instead of brown sugar. I used brown sugar Splenda and it was fine. I didn't think we needed honey at all.

-Deb from Rainy Day Bites and I talked about how cute this would be to make in individual sizes and let people add their own fruits. A great makeahead brunchy pie or tart!