FRESH STRAWBERRIES & AMARETTO CREAM PIE

Fresh Strawberries & Amaretto Cream Pie image

Strawberry pie is even more luscious when you cover it with a generous layer of amaretto cream. Keep the recipe in mind whenever you have a bounty of fresh berries. -Charis O'Connell, Mohnton, Pennsylvania

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 55m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 20

Ingredients

3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
2 tablespoons shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
FILLING:
4 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 to 6 drops red food coloring, optional
AMARETTO CREAM
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons amaretto or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Optional toppings: additional fresh strawberries and toasted almonds

Steps:

Place almonds in a food processor; cover and pulse until almonds are finely ground. Add flour, confectioners' sugar and salt; pulse until blended. Add butter and shortening; pulse until butter and shortening are the size of peas. While pulsing, add just enough ice water to form moist crumbs. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle., On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in. thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. deep-dish plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges. Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Fill with dried beans, uncooked rice or pie weights., Bake at 425° for 8 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, mash 1 cup strawberries with the lemon juice. Add water. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in mashed berry mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in food coloring if desired. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cooled slightly, stirring occasionally., Fold in the remaining sliced berries; transfer to crust. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set., In a small bowl, beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and amaretto; beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over filling. Top with additional strawberries and almonds if desired.

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