Berry Season - Strawberry Cream Pie

Wow, it has been over a month since I posted anything. I had hoped to keep posting my weekly meal plans at least, but I've been lacking motivation. Pregnancy seems to do that to me, not to mention my husband's surgery and him being home for two weeks that really threw off my routines (but also enjoyed immensely).

Last week I finally got to go strawberry picking with my kiddos. I had hoped to pick two flats, but was getting a bit sore after just one. Then I heard someone say that they may not be open for picking again after that day. Suddenly I was motivated to pick two flats worth, ending up with just over 20 lbs of strawberries.

We were lucky to have a two day break from the heat, so I got to work right away making strawberry jam and fruit leathers/fruit roll-ups (they were fairly thin, and I rolled them up, so they were definitely more like fruit roll-ups than fruit leathers). We ate (and are still eating) a bunch of strawberries fresh, we have some in the freezer for baking and some for smoothies. My daughter finally got the pink ice cream she has been requesting for some time - fresh, homemade strawberry ice cream is hard to beat! Yesterday I created a Strawberry Cream Pie for a cookout and bonfire we hosted for our Bible Study. It was refreshing, creamy and DELICIOUS! For Father's Day I might make a strawberry mousse pie with a chocolate cookie crust (or we may just have strawberry ice cream).

After looking through a variety of strawberry pie recipes I hadn't found anything that really caught my eye or met all the desires that I had for the fresh, creamy strawberry pie that I was envisioning/craving. I took a chance and created one taking bits and pieces from various recipes that sounded interesting. The result was just what I hoped it would be.


Strawberry Cream Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 7 Whole Graham Crackers*, crushed
• 1/2 cup Soaked & Dried Almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup Coconut oil (or butter), melted
• 2 Tablespoons Sweetener of choice (dry would probably work best - turbinado, sucanat, palm, etc.)

Filling

• 8 oz Cream Cheese or Yogurt Cheese, softened
• 5 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, divided
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Unflavored Gelatin
• 1/4 cup Water, cold
• 1/2 cup Water, boiling
• 2 + cups Fresh Strawberries, crushed
• 1 Handful of strawberries for decorating pie

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. For the crust, crush graham crackers in food processor and empty into a small bowl. Grind almonds in food processor until fine, add to graham cracker crumbs. Add sugar to almonds and graham crackers. Melt coconut oil (or butter) and pour over crust ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined. Press into a deep dish pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool on cooling rack.
3. Remove stems and wash strawberries. Use a potato masher to crush strawberries, set aside.
4. Whip heavy cream with vanilla and 2 T maple syrup until stiff peaks form. Place whipped cream on top of crushed strawberries, but do not mix yet. Set aside in refrigerator.
5. Sprinkle packet of gelatin over 1/4 cup cold water and let sit for one minute. Rinse out mixing bowl and beat cream cheese with 3 T maple syrup. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to gelatin and cold water; stir to dissolve. Slowly add gelatin water to cream cheese mixture while mixer runs at a low speed.
6. When water and cream cheese mixture are fully combined (should be very watery) add to whipped cream and strawberries. Fold ingredients together. Pour into cooled graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least two hours.
7. Prior to serving slice remaining strawberries and place around edge of pie and in the center (for decoration). Eat slowly to fully enjoy!

Prep Time: 3 h Cook Time: 10 min Ready in: 3 h 10 min

Strawberry Cream Pie courtesy of Jamie Del Balso.

*My notes: I've always loved graham crackers, but am not a fan of the ingredients in most traditional brands and I haven't gotten around to making my own yet. I do, however, like the Back to Nature graham crackers or New Morning as they have all natural and wholesome ingredients. Here are some recipes to try and make your own: GNOWFGLINS, Smitten Kitchen, 101Cookbooks, The Nourishing Homemaker (gluten & dairy free), Deliciously Organic, Heavenly Homemakers.