Yields: 8 to 10 servings
Cook’s notes: I almost always use frozen berries for the topping, but fresh berries (use 1 pint) also work. To cool the topping fast, place it over a bowl of ice water and stir often. For the crust, I grind half a box of cinnamon-topped graham crackers in the food processor, but plain graham cracker crumbs work, too. If you have time to chill the crust before spreading it with the cream cheese mixture, you’ll find the filling easier to spread.
Blueberry topping:
1 16-ounce bag frozen blueberries, or 1 pint fresh
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup cold water
Crust:
1/2 of a 13 1/2-ounce package of graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 cups whipping cream
Make the topping: Combine berries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and berries thaw and give off some of their juice. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Bring berry mixture to a boil and add cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, until mixture turns translucent and mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon. Cool completely.
Make the crust: Stir together crumbs, butter and sugar until well mixed. Press into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch dish.
Make the filling: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, vanilla and sugar on medium speed or by hand with a wooden spoon until smooth. Spread gently over crust and sprinkle evenly with pecans. Whip cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form; cover pecans and cream cheese completely with cream. Top with the blueberries, swirling them a bit into the whipped cream. Chill well, then cut into squares and serve.
