Recipe: Chocolate-Mascarpone Raspberry Pie with White Chocolate Topping

CHOCOLATE-MASCARPONE RASPBERRY PIE



1 recipe Baked Pastry Shell (recipe follows)
1 (8 ounce) carton mascarpone cheese*
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons raspberry liqueur
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
2 cups fresh raspberries**
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam, melted and cooled slightly
1 recipe White Chocolate Topping (optional, recipe follows)

Prepare Baked Pastry Shell; set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In a medium saucepan combine mascarpone cheese, chocolate, and powdered sugar. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in liqueur. Let the filling cool to room temperature.

In a medium chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Stir about 1/2 cup of the whipped cream into the cooled filling. Fold in remaining whipped cream just until combined.

Carefully spoon filling into Baked Pastry Shell, spreading evenly. Cover and chill for 3 to 24 hours or until set.

JUST BEFORE SERVING:
Gently stir the 2 cups raspberries into the jam. Spoon the raspberry mixture over filling. If desired, top each serving with White Chocolate Topping.

*Ingredient Info: Mascarpone cheese is a buttery, double- or triple-cream cheese from the Lombardy region of Italy. It's the same cheese that makes tiramisu - that Italian coffee-and-chocolate-flavor dessert - so rich and delicious. Look for it in the specialty cheese section of your supermarket.

**Can I Use Frozen Raspberries? Fresh is really the only choice. Raspberries lose their shape in the freezing/thawing process--and you don't want smushed berries on your pie. Be sure to use seedless jam too so that the berries look smooth and glossy.

BAKED PASTRY SHELL
Makes one pastry shell

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened pastry to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Form pastry into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll pastry from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry circle around rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching it. Trim pastry to 1/2-inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired.

TO BAKE PASTRY SHELL:
Prick bottom and sides of pastry with a fork. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

WHITE CHOCOLATE TOPPING

2 ounces chopped white baking chocolate
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
2/3 cup heavy (whipping) cream

In a small heavy saucepan heat and stir 2 ounces chopped white baking chocolate and 1/4 cup whipping cream until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth; cool.

In a medium chilled mixing bowl beat 2/3 cup whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until mixture mounds but does not form peaks; turn off mixer. Add white chocolate mixture; beat on low speed just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie, 10 servings
Adapted from source: Anyone Can Bake by Better Homes & Gardens