Stuffed Crust--Strawberry Cream Pie

I love strawberry pie.   I always fix a strawberry pie for Easter  (that and Oreo cheesecake), but this year I hesitated because I have no sink--(no worries tho, they made a template for our new counter tops yesterday and in 10 short days I will be back in business!!)

I hesitated to make an Easter dinner because I am sick and tired of doing dishes in a teeny tiny bathroom sink.

I paused  for only a moment tho, and forged ahead and went for it.

  Dirty dishes be damned!!

I'm so glad I did too, because I made this  'new to me' strawberry pie, that my friend Brenda made last spring.  Yes, it's been bookmarked for a year and I just finally got around to it.

It is a stuffed-crust Strawberry pie.

I was in heaven.  It's so good.  So, so, very good.

I really think you should try it.

If you like strawberry pie, if you like the flavor of almond, if you feel like something fresh and something that shouts out SPRING to you, you should really try this pie.

That's all I have to say, but Brenda said this:

The almond paste sandwiched between the two pie crusts adds so much flavour and was such a wonderful addition to this pie. And no, the crust doesn't end up too thick. I thought it might, but it was just perfect.

I couldn't agree more.

Stuffed-Crust Strawberry Cream Pie
from Brenda's Canadian Kitchen
Crust
1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 package (7 oz) almond paste

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 egg white

Filling
1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 T cornstarch

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries*

Topping
1 cup whipping cream

2 T powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

8 fresh whole strawberries, if desired

*1 bag (1 lb) frozen unsweetened strawberries, sliced and thawed, can be used instead of the fresh.

Heat oven to 400F. Unroll 1 crust on work surface. Into medium bowl or food processor, crumble almond paste. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and the egg white. Mix or cover and process until smooth. Spread on crust to within 1 1/4 inches of edge. Unroll second crust; place on top and pat together gently. Place stuffed crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Seal edges; flute. Cover edge with foil; fit second pie plate inside first pie plate on top of crust.

Bake 10 minutes. Remove top pie plate; gently prick crust surface over filling about 15 times with fork. Bake uncovered about 15 minutes longer or until crust is light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons cornstarch. Stir in strawberries. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until filling thickens. Refrigerate about 30 minutes, stirring once, until cool.

Just before serving, spread strawberry filling in crust. In medium bowl, beat whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread on top of pie. Garnish with strawberries.

If you don't own two pie plates, purchase a disposable foil pie pan to place on top of the crust.

Makes 8 servings.