Weekend Cooking...Icebox Strawberry Pie

If you have noticed all the lovely strawberries at the supermarket or local produce stands recently...or if, even better, you grow your own...perhaps you are looking for a tasty, easy recipe. So here, from my friends at Cooks Illustrated, is a recipe for a Strawberry Pie, a pie that, as they say, "lives up to its looks", with a big berry taste. It combine both frozen and fresh strawberries, an ideal combination, each adding their own strengths. And they top it off with just not ordinary whipped cream...which is a very nice thing...but with a slightly tangy topping that contains both a bit of cream cheese and heavy cream.

Icebox Strawberry Pie

In step 1, it is imperative that the cooked strawberry mixture measures 2 cups; any more and the filling will be loose. If your fresh berries aren’t fully ripe, you may want to add extra sugar to taste in step 2. Use your favorite pie dough. Chill the heavy cream in step 4 to help it whip more quickly.

Filling

Fresh and cooked berries

• 2 pounds frozen strawberries
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced thin
• 1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked and cooled {ok, I used one of those nice easy roll out crusts}}

Topping

Pre-baked crust and berries

• 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. COOK FROZEN BERRIES- Cook frozen berries in large saucepan over medium-low heat until berries begin to release juice, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until thick and jamlike, about 25 minutes (mixture should measure 2 cups). {{note- it took 35 minutes for mine to reach that point...so just keep it cooking}}

2. ADD GELATIN- Combine lemon juice, water, and gelatin in small bowl. Let stand until gelatin is softened and mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir gelatin mixture, sugar, and salt into cooked berry mixture and return to simmer, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Cream and cream cheese

3. ADD FRESH BERRIES- Fold fresh berries into filling. Spread evenly in pie shell and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. (Filled pie can be refrigerated for 24 hours.)

4. MAKE TOPPING With electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth, about 30 seconds. With mixer running, add cream and whip until stiff peaks form, about
2 minutes. Serve pie with whipped cream topping.

I felt that for you, my dear readers, I had to test this recipe. I only did it for you.

On the negative side, mine did not jell quite as much as I would have wished, which is why there is not a beautiful picture of a slice. I would consider adding an additional 1/2 TBS. of gelatin. However, I don't think it affected the taste one tiny bit and the taste was totally yummy. If you like strawberries, you will like this. Come over for a slightly misshapen slice.

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This is my contribution this to this week's Weekend Cooking.
"Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend."
Be sure to check out the other entries this week. As always, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

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