White Chocolate Cream Pie with Hazelnut Crust
Oh my, it's pie!
This pie has been the highlight of the past few days for my husband and me. Caleb (our 4 month old baby) got a little sick for the first time. It's been a whirlwind of sleepless nights and lots and lots of laundry (ugh, don't ask...). Thankfully he seems to be on the mend and Macky and I joined the official mom and dad club for getting through it! Yay!
Now about this pie. Oh my gosh. It's a creamy, white chocolate pie with a homemade hazelnut crust and topped with fresh raspberries. So incredibly delicious. The filling of the pie includes a whole pound of white chocolate, cream cheese and whipped cream. The cream cheese cuts the sweetness of the white chocolate by adding a tangy flavory and contributes to the overall texture of the filling. There's just enough cream cheese so you can taste a hint of it but not enough that it has the texture or taste of cheesecake. Make sense?
The crust is out of this world. Roasted hazelnuts get ground together with honey graham crackers and tossed with melted butter. You will shape it into a crust in the pie pan and bake until it's lightly brown and smells incredible.
White Chocolate Cream Pie with Hazelnut Crust
A creamy, white chocolate pie with a homemade hazelnut crust and topped with fresh raspberries
Serves: 8
- 1 1/4 cups whole hazelnuts, roasted and skin removed*
- 2 sheets honey graham crackers, broken into pieces
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pound (16 ounces) white chocolate chips
- 8 ounces cream cheese (brick form)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Salt
- 1 pint raspberries for topping (optional)
- Crushed hazelnuts for topping (optional)
- Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate and preheat the oven to 325 degrees
- Add the hazelnuts and graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until the nuts have been ground to small crumbs. Add to a medium bowl
- Add the melted butter, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to the bowl and stir to combine
- Add the mixture to the pie plate. Using your hands and/or a small spatula, form a pie shape by spreading along the base of the pie and up the sides
- Bake the pie for 15 - 20 minutes until it is starting to lightly brown. Set aside to cool completely
- To prepare the filling, add the white chocolate and cream cheese to a large microwave safe bowl. Heat in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until the the chips are melted
- Allow the mixture to cool
- While the mixture is cooling, add the cream, vanilla and a pinch of salt to a large bowl attached to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- Beat the cream on medium high until stiff peaks form
- Fold the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture until it is evenly incorporated
- Add the filling to the cooled pie crust and top with raspberries and crushed hazelnuts if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours
