Monday, August 11, 2008

Look What I Made!


Cooking isn't my favorite thing in the world, but I had so much fun making this fruit pizza, and I had to share it with you. It's really an easy thing to make, it's VERY delicious, and it's great fun decorating the top with the fruit. So here's the recipe, with my own tips to help you through the process.
FRUIT PIZZA
Cookie Crust:
1/2 c softened butter
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 c flour
1 t cream of tartar
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
Cream butter and sugar til smooth. Mix in egg. In small bowl, mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Stir into creamed mixture til blended. Press into ungreased pizza pan. TIP: Put plastic wrap over dough, enough to cover pizza pan. Roll out with a rolling pin, and then pull off gently when dough is spread evenly around pan. Bake at 350 degrees 8-10 minutes or til light brown around the edges. Cool.
Cream Cheese layer:
Soften 8 ounces cream cheese and mix with an 8 ounce container of frozen topping til blended. Smooth over cooled cookie crust.
Fruit layer:
Cut fruit into pieces. You can use strawberries, mandarine oranges, grapes, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, canned pineapple, bananas, etc. etc. If fruit tends to darken, dip in water/lemon juice mixture before putting on pizza.
Glaze:
1/2 c sugar
1 pinch salt
1 T cornstarch
1/2 orange juice
2 T lemon juice
1/4 water
1/2 t grated orange rind or orange zest
dash cinnamon
TIP: I used 3/4 c mandarine orange liquid in place of the 1/2 oj and 1/4 water.
In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and sugar and mix. Add all other ingredients (except grated orange rind) and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, til it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and add grated orange rind. Allow to cool but not set up firmly. Spoon over fruit. Chill for at least 2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve. Delicious!