Saturday, May 29, 2010

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.



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.


20 comments:

  1. Strawberries and cream - simply delicious. Oops, I'm trying to lose weight, but this looks so tempting, I may have to give in and make it.

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  2. As long as it tastes good, who cares if it is a little misshapen. Sounds de lish!

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  3. We JUST went strawberry picking yesterday! Picked over 13 pounds and I made about 9 pints of freezer jam (the subject of next week's post for me).

    I also LOVE fresh strawberry pie and use a recipe similar to this one. The one noticeable change is that I use strawberry flavor gelatin rather than unflavored. Yummm....

    Enjoy a great holiday weekend.

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  4. Looks delicious. I just brought home some beautiful looking strawberries and have to decide what to make with them.

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  5. How wonderful! I'm so envious of those in parts of the country that are having strawberry time!

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  6. the strawberry gelatin sounds good...not that this one is lacking one flavor.

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  7. I'm having a little soiree on Monday. This just might be the perfect addition to the menu. Yuuuuuum. We, your readers, thank you for tasting this for us, to be sure everything was as it should be.

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  8. Your timing is perfect. I was going to get strawberries at the Farmer's Market tomorrow but didn't have any set use for them. This sounds perfect. I like the addition of cream cheese and cream. Love that Cook's Illustrated.

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  9. Cooks Illustrated is the best! And this pie looks awesome. I will be happy to take that "mistake" pie off your hands. No, really, I don't mind. I'll make the sacrifice!

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  10. This really looks awesome! I love strawberry desserts this time of year!

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  11. I'll be right over...

    We have another week or two before local strawberries are ready. I'll bookmark this recipe!

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  12. The strawberries here in the Netherlands are still rather expensive so I'll have to wait a few weeks. But then... Thanks for the recipe.

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  13. "mistake" might be a bit harsh. I just wish it had held its shape...and wonder why it did not. I was, as instructed, very careful about reducing the strawberries to 2 cups...I think.
    But regardless, it is delicious. and I have a slice I brought to work fo lunch!

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  14. I liked this by the title alone. Boy, does this sound yummy. You can't lose with strawberries and cream ever!

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  15. Oh, you just hit me where I live! I love strawberries, and there is a farm where I can pick them not too far away! Thank you for this recipe ... can't wait to try it.

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  16. My goodness, that looks so delicious, I'm going to give that recipe a try right now.

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  17. Sounds like a marvelous pie, and I'm intrigued by the combo of cooked and fresh berries. I'll definitely try this one at some point. Thanks!

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