PAULA DEEN’S BEST CAKES & PIES 1221¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
½ cup fi nely chopped roasted salted
macadamia nuts
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2⁄3 cup Strawberry Syrup
(recipe follows), divided
½ pound fresh strawberries,
hulled and sliced
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch
pie plate with cooking spray. - In a medium bowl, stir together
cracker crumbs, melted butter, nuts,
and granulated sugar. Press mixture into
bottom and up sides of prepared pan. - Bake until lightly browned, 10 to
15 minutes. Let cool completely on
a wire rack. - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese,
confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla with a
mixer at medium speed until combined.
Add cream and ⅓ cup Strawberry
Syrup, and beat at high speed just until
stiff peaks form. Spread mixture into
prepared crust, and top with strawberry
slices. Cover and refrigerate for at least
1 hour before serving or up to 4 hours.
Serve with remaining ⅓ cup Strawberry
Syrup.Strawberry Syrup
Makes about 1½ cups1 pound fresh strawberries,
hulled and chopped
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice- In a medium saucepan, bring
strawberries, sugar, ¼ cup water, and
salt to a boil over medium heat. Reduce
heat, and simmer until strawberries are
soft, about 12 minutes. Remove from
heat, and let cool completely. Stir in
lemon juice. - Pour strawberry mixture into the
container of a blender; pulse 3 times.
Strain mixture through a fi ne-mesh sieve
into a small bowl, gently pressing solids
with a spatula to extract as much liquid
as possible; discard solids. Cover and
refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Strawberry Cream Pie
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie- Bakinğ TiǙ -
Pulse the Strawberry Syrup only three times.
Overblending it will incorporate too much air into the
syrup, making it a frothy pale pink instead of a thick red.