Graham cracker or pastry shell for single crust pie, baked and cooled (I prefer the graham cracker shell!)

1 ½ quarts fresh strawberries (3 pints)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
½ cup water
1 pkg cream cheese, softened (use 3 oz. for thinner layer, 8 oz. if you love cream cheese, which we do!)
2-3 Tbsp sugar
1/2-1 tsp grated orange peel

Wash berries and lay on towel to dry. Hull them and cut off any unripened tops. Slice and mash enough strawberries to measure 1 cup, leaving remaining berries whole. Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Gradually stir in water and mashed berries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute, until shiny. Cool to room temperature but still pourable.

Beat cream cheese with sugar and orange peel until smooth. Spread into piecrust bottom. Top with remaining whole strawberries, cut side down. Pour cooked and cooled strawberry mixture over top. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on each slice. Store covered in refrigerator.

Topping:
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix egg whites, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Set aside.

Cake:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until blended, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream in three additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix only until just blended, then gently stir in chocolate chips. Spoon evenly into greased 10″ tube pan, smoothing top with spatula. Spoon topping evenly over batter, but do not stir in. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto plate, then invert again onto plate so that nuts are on top. When cool, drizzle with glaze if desired.

Glaze:  (optional)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp sour cream
Milk to thin

Blend until smooth and of desired consistency. Drizzle over cake.

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half and then the yolks.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly to keep from sticking. Cook and stir until pudding is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

Pour pudding through a mesh strainer into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to stir the pudding through. Add butter and vanilla; stir until butter melts. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming. Chill until set, about three hours.

To serve, pour in individual serving bowls. Top with berries and/or peaches and a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Makes 3 cups, about 4 servings.

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp milk
9 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled to lukewarm
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in double boiler over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. Let cool until lukewarm.

In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for three minutes or until creamy. Add milk and beat until smooth. Add melted chocolate an beat well for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat for 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat on low speed until creamy and of desired consistency. I use this to frost the Chocolate Cake recipe on this site.

These directions are for mixing in a food processor, but if you don’t have one, follow the usual steps for mixing by hand.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
8 Tbsp butter-flavored Crisco, cut into 1/2″ pieces and chilled
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ pieces and chilled
6-8 Tbsp ice water

Process the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until combined, only a few seconds. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.

Sprinkle 6 Tbsp of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff spatula (cooler than your hands), until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until it does.

Divide the dough into two even pieces and flatten each into a 4″ disk. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out and fitting into a pie plate.

To Make Ahead:

The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling

Grab a big mug. In it, put:

4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa

Mix that together, then add:

1 egg
3 Tbsp. milk
3 Tbsp. canola oil
splash of vanilla

Stir well. Use a small whisk if you have one; just mix until the dry ingredients are well moistened. Add:

3 Tbsp. chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate)

Stir briefly. Put mug in microwave and cook on high temp (1000 watts) for 3 minutes. The cake will puff up rather high past the rim of the mug, but will settle down as it cooks.

Remove from microwave and turn cake onto plate, or eat right from the mug. A scoop of ice cream or drizzle of chocolate sauce is almost required!

1 9-inch pie crust (recipe for pate brisee follows, or use pie crust of your choice)
1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen mixed berries
1/4 – 1/2 cup granulated sugar, depending on sweetness desired
1/4 cup flour (can substitute 3 Tbsp cornstarch)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

cream and sugar for sprinkling on assembled crostata

Pate Brisee:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1/2 cup ice water

By hand or in a food processor, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar.  Add the butter and blend until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds in food processor).  Pour 1/2 cup water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched.  Add additional 1-2 Tbsp. water, if necessary.  Don’t process more than 30 seconds or the dough will become tough.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface and gather it into a ball.  Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using.  This will chill the butter and make a flaky crust.   At this point you can also freeze the second disk of dough for later use.

To assemble crostata:

Mix frozen berries, sugar, flour and zest together in a bowl. Roll pie crust dough into an 11-inch round. Place on on parchment lined baking sheet. Pour berries onto the pie crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold edge of pastry over the berries, gently pleating to make a 9-inch round. Brush with cream or egg wash, then sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar. Bake in pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving.

4 large ripe peaches or nectarines
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Vanilla or butter pecan ice cream, for serving

Wash and dry fruit. Cut in half, removing pit. Over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in grill pan. Place peaches cut side down in pan; leave in place until golden brown. Add remaining butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to pan, stirring until smooth. Cook peaches until warmed through, basting with glaze. Place in dessert bowl; top with generous scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with remaining glaze from pan.

1 prepared pie crust, fitted into pie pan and edges fluted
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 cups walnut or pecan pieces

Stir together the first 5 ingredients until blended; stir in melted chocolate and nuts. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool completely. If you want to be wimpy about it, serve with a simple swirl of fresh whipped cream. For the courageous who want to put a chocolate craving to rest, serve with coffee ice cream and Java Chocolate Sauce!

Java Chocolate Sauce:
2 cups semi-sweet (or dark!) chocolate chips
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee (or use instant espresso, prepared as directed)

Heat chocolate chips, cream and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat until chocolate and butter melt, stirring often. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in coffee. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

In this order, place flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla in mixer bowl. Beat a low speed for 1 minute, stopping to scrape down bowl. Beat a medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into well greased and floured 10″ tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

If desired, serve with Lemon-Blueberry Cream.