if you can’t take the heat …

… get on out of that kitchen!  When you’re craving sweets, but don’t want to turn on the oven, have I got a yummy dessert for you! It’s that time of year when luscious strawberries are everywhere, but any berry should be fine.  The recipe is from Southern Living.  Actually, the cream filling is entirely theirs, and I cheated with an oreo cookie crust.  This would be delicious with a graham cracker crust too.  While their crust is homemade, I needed to save time and not turn on the oven. The nice part was I made the cream early in the morning before it got hot, then assembled everything before company arrived.  Super easy. Here it is:

Strawberry Cream Pie

    3 tablespoons cornstarch
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
    1/4 teaspoon salt 
    1 cup sugar, divided 
    3 cups half-and-half
    6 egg yolks 
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    1 qt. fresh strawberries 
    1/4 cup red currant jelly (or seedless strawberry jelly)

    1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Whisk together half-and-half and next 2 ingredients in a small bowl; gradually add to cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly.
    2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and then cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl; cover and chill 4 to 24 hours.
    3.  Spoon chilled  mixture into prepared crust. Cut 8 to 10 strawberries in half, and arrange around outer edge of pie (I didn’t leave the tops on as in the photo); hull and slice remaining strawberries, and arrange in center of pie. 
    4. Heat jelly in a small bowl until melted. Brush jelly mixture gently over strawberries. Chill, uncovered, at least 30 minutes.

The photo is Southern Living’s.  (I absolutely love that magazine, and subscribe to it every year.)  Have a wonderful weekend and HAPPY SUMMER!

Best,
Stephanie