Recipe(tried): Fresh Blueberry Fried Pies with Creole Cream Cheese and Cherry Ice Cream

Ya'll will absolutely LOVE this recipe ..... it is soooo EASY and every time I have served this everyone raves!!! ENJOY!!!

FRESH BLUEBERRY FRIED PIES
Source: Emeril Lagasse
Makes 12 pies

FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup water
4 cups fresh blueberries, stemmed and rinsed
1 tablespoon butter
FOR THE PASTRY:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
Shortening, for frying
FOR THE CREOLE CREAM CHEESE AND CHERRY ICE CREAM:
1 vanilla bean
4 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar
Pinch salt
5 egg yolks
2 3/4 cups Creole cream cheese
2 cups pureed cherry pie filling

TO PREPARE THE FILLING:
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Mix until blended. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat and pour over the blueberries. Add the butter and mix well. Cool completely.

TO PREPARE THE PASTRY:
Sift the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the shortening and with your hands or a fork, mix until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.

Gradually add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a smooth ball forms. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

TO ASSEMBLE AND COOK:
Remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough piece into a thin round about 5 inches in diameter. Put about 1/4 cup of the blueberry mixture in the center of each round, fold the dough over, and crimp the edges together with a fork.

Preheat the oil to 360 degrees F.

Fry the pies in batches, 2 to 3 at a time, until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar.

TO SERVE:
Serve each pie on a serving plate with a scoop of ice cream.

CREOLE CREAM CHEESE AND CHERRY ICE CREAM
Makes about 1/2 gallon

Using a sharp knife, split the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the inside, reserve the bean. In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla seeds, scraped vanilla bean, and salt, over medium heat. Bring the cream to the boiling point and scald it. Remove from the heat.

Beat the egg yolks in a bowl. Add the cream mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, to the beaten eggs, whisking in between each addition, until all is used. Pour the mixture into a saucepan, and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.

Stir in the cream cheese and blend thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning time.

Swirl the cherry filling into the ice cream, cover and freeze for at least 1 hour.