Strawberry Cream Pie

Ok,
so I am going to apologize in advance.

Today got so busy that I didn't get this my amazing salad and Tilapia I had planned for today including ingredients from my Tally Farms Box. I promise to get to those tomorrow after work. I even bought a few extra ingredients I needed from the store.

BOO!

But I hope I am making it up to you with this Strawberry Cream Pie!

I bought a 2 pound basket of strawberries the other day and have been dying to make some sort of a pie, so, why not?

Let's get started shall we?!

First things first,

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

To make the crust you will need 6 ounces (1 1/2 Cups) of Nilla Wafer Cookies (Vanilla Wafer Cookies) and 1/4 cup of butter melted. You can use graham cracker, but I love Nilla Wafer Cookies for creamy pies.

Pulse the cookies in a food processor until coarsely ground. I don't own a food processor, even though I have dreamt of owning one! [That day will come- I hope]. I just used my Ninja Pulse, but you can also just put the cookies in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin to crush them (or hand-more violent haha).

Next add the melted butter and mix until moist but still crumbly. You do NOT want it doughy but still coarse. 

You will then press the crumb mixture into a greased pie dish until compact. 

 

Bake 10 mins and cool completely on a wire rack.

In the mean time, lets start on the oh so deliciously creaming filling.

In a standing mixer or hand held mixer with a whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of heavy cream (you can use regular whipping cream but I love the rich favor HEAVY whipping cream gives) until a stiff peak forms. A stiff peak is when the whisk can be lifted and nothing runs off. It almost cloud-esque. So beautiful ha ha. 

Transfer peaked cream into a bowl and let it rest in the fridge. 

Next, with a paddle attachment cream 8 ounces of cream cheese until soft, smooth and creamy. :) Add  2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, beating until it if fully combined.

Gently fold in 1/3 of your chilled cream into the cream cheese mixture then add the remaining cream just until incorporated.

Then, pour the final mix into your cooled crust and smooth out the top. I like to use an off-set spatula but mine was nowhere to be found so my bake mark scraper would have to do the job. (The perk of being a baker and working in a baker, I get some tools to use and keep sometimes) :) I love my BakeMark Scraper. Such a handy tool to have.

Hull and half 10-15 strawberries and arrange them onto your pie.

If you would like to top with a strawberry glaze then continue reading. If not then your pie is ready to eat!

For those of you who are brave enough to continue with this glaze, come along.

In a small sauce pan combine 1/2 of chopped strawberries, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 of water over medium heat. Let boil (bubble) for 2 minutes then add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and let it sit for 8 minutes, stirring every few minutes until it thickens like a syrup. 

Strain through a sieve and let cool before poring onto your masterpiece.

Once your pie is glazed and all pretty, refrigerate until set (about 3 hours or overnight).

....and wahhhhhlah! Strawberry Cream Pie my friends. 

This picture would not turn out. Hopefully when it is all set in the morning I can get a perfect picture but this hideous one will have to do for now:)

Goodnight fellow food lovers! And I promise to start my Tally Farms adventure with you tomorrow.

xoxo

Megan Noelle

Strawberry Cream Pie

1 1/2 cups Nilla Wafer Cookies

1/4 cup Butter, melted

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened

2/3 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

10-15 Strawberries, Hulled and Halved

1/2 cup Strawberries, Chopped

1/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Water

2 tsp Cornstarch

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie pan.

-Crush Nilla Wafer Cookies and add butter until moist and crumbly to form the crust. Firmly press into greased pie pan and bake 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

-In a standing mixer or with a hand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until stiff peak forms. Transfer to a separate bowl and chill in fridge.

-With a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until silky and smooth. Add sugar and vanilla until fully combined.

-Gently fold in 1/3 of chilled and whipped heavy cream cream into cream cheese mixture, then add the rest until incorporated. Pour final mixture into cooled crust and smooth it out.

-Top pie with halved strawberries.

-Cook over medium heat chopped strawberries, sugar and water for 2 minutes. Add cornstarch and let it bubble/cook for 8 minutes until thickens and reaches a syrupy texture.

-Strain through a sieve and let cool before topping your pie.

-Chill and let set in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.

Bon Appétit!