recipe: strawberry cream cheese pie.

if you ask me what my favorite dessert is, my answer is going to depend on the time of year. in summer, give me all the ice cream. in the fall, it's my mom's coffee cake. winter, creme brulee, preferably at a cozy restaurant with my husband. but springtime has me craving anything with fruit. the fresher the better. even if it's not quite in season yet, i just want all the fruity, baked goodness.my hands-down, all-time favorite fruity baked dessert is the strawberry cream cheese pie that my mom has made since before i have memories. something about the juicy strawberries, the sweet creamy spread on the bottom, and the homemade glace holding it all together gets me every time. it reminds me of eating dinner on the porch when the weather finally gets warm enough, and of family dinners on sunday nights.did i mention that it's also gorgeous?make this and serve it to people you love. they'll be able to taste the love when they take a bite.strawberry cream cheese pie, makes one pie, serves 8 with big slices

• pie crust
• 1 1/2 qts. fresh strawberries
• 4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature (use neufchatel cheese for a lower fat option)
• 1/2 C. powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• splash of milk (to moisten cream cheese mixture)
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 3/4-1 C. white sugar
• 1/2 C. water

for the pie: make your pie crust (or use a pre-made one like i mostly do, pillsbury works great!) and lay it in a 9-inch pie pan. bake according to the directions, making sure to poke the bottom with a fork before baking so it doesn't puff up. let the pie crust cool.mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, almond extract and the splash of milk until smooth. the consistency should be somewhat firm and not runny, as you will be spreading this in the bottom of the pie crust. add more powdered sugar until you reach the desired consistency. spread in the bottom of the crust and refrigerate until set, around a half hour.while crust and spread are setting up, quarter the strawberries, reserving 1 C. of them aside for the glace. fill the pie crust with the strawberries. the strawberries should be slightly rounded at the middle of the pie.for the glace: in a small saucepan, mix together the cornstarch and white sugar. mash the 1 C. of reserved strawberries with the water. mash well so there are no large chunks. add to the sugar and cornstarch. heat over medium heat until it thickens, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. boil for one minute, then remove from heat and cool for about five minutes. pour the glace over the top of the strawberries, covering well. refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

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