Blueberry Pie with Whipped Ricotta (Sugar-Free)
This sugar-free blueberry pie features creamy ricotta filling and is versatile enough to be served both at a family dinner and a tea party. It can be made ahead of time during your meal prep routine, and will delight you with its creamy texture and unique flavor.
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 cups blueberries
- 2 cups (500 g) ricotta cheese (can be replaced with cottage cheese)
- 2 eggs
- 7 oz (200 g) sweetener (I used erythritol-based sweetener)
- vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoon potato starch
Dough:
- ⅔ cups (150 g) soft butter
- 3.5 oz (100 g) sweetener
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 9-10 oz (250-300 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a springform cake pan thoroughly with butter (or a cooking spray) or line a sheet pan's bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the soft butter with the sweetener until light and fluffy for about 3-4 minutes with an electric stand mixer. Beat in the egg until well combined. In a separate small bowl, combine flour with baking powder and whisk them together. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels sticky, add more flour gradually until it's manageable but still soft.
- Press about two-thirds of the dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of your prepared pan. Don't worry about making it perfectly even.
- In a large bowl, beat the ricotta cheese with the sweetener using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. This takes about 2-3 minutes – you want to eliminate any lumps and create a light, airy texture. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla essence and potato starch. Mix until completely smooth.
- Scatter half of the blueberries over the prepared crust. Pour the ricotta mixture over the berries, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top, gently pressing them down until they're level with the filling.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and lightly golden brown on top. The center should be just barely jiggly when you gently shake the pan – it will continue to set as it cools. If the top starts browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan – this is crucial for clean slicing. Dust powdered sweetener onto the cooled cake. For the best texture and flavor, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- Ensure you account for the extra time to cool the cake to ensure it's completely set.
- Reserve the remaining dough for later if you want to make a lattice top, or just use it all for the base.
- Cottage cheese is a perfect substitute or complement to ricotta. Choose small-curd cottage cheese for the smoothest result.
