Strawberry Cream Pie

As promised, here is the recipe for my much-requested Strawberry Cream Pie that was served at Gail’s baby shower. I got it from http://www.justputzing.com and made a few modifications.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs – they sell the graham crackers already crumbled up, fabulous. Or you could buy the actual crackers and crumble them yourself.
• Nearly one stick butter, melted. Once it is melted I use almost all of it, but not quite.
• 2 8oz containers of WHIPPED cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups heavy cream + 1 tbsp
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 carton strawberries, 1 one container sliced into thirds or halves. Save the other carton for possible additions, see the bottom of the recipe.
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2.  In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms.
3. Gently but firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie dish.
4. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. I have gotten to the point where I do this step the day before I am going to make the pie. Turn the oven off when done- no more baking.
5. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on HIGH to beat your cream until it holds firm peaks. Set aside.
6.  In a separate, larger bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until smooth and creamy. I use my KitchenAid mixer for this- most amazing invention ever.
7. Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into your cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then add the rest. Gently fold until evenly incorporated and smooth.
8. Spoon filling into your cooled pie crust, and spread it out in an even layer.
9. Layer sliced strawberries in an overlapping rows around the top of the cream.
10. Melt chocolate + 1 tbsp cream, and stir until smooth and liquid. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the strawberries.
11.  Stick the pie in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to allow the creamy filling to firm up. I usually leave it in overnight.

** Additions. So there are a couple of additions you can add, but I am still working them out. First, I used about half to three-fourths of the second container of strawberries by pureeing them and adding them into the cream cheese mixture. It was really good, but I needed to add extra cream cheese or heavy cream to compensate for the extra “wet” ingredient and I haven’t pinpointed exactly how much to add, so if someone figures out the perfect combo, let me know.

The second addition can be used in place of the puree. Slice the second carton of strawberries same as the ones that go on top, but use the second container to layer the pie crust before putting the cream filling in. Then you get double amount the strawberries!