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Strawberry Surprise
I remember my mom fixing this as I was growing up. She always served it as party food, but never failed to save some for the kids because she knew how much we loved it. This is an unusual recipe. The crust is chewy on the inside, almost like toffee. The fruit and whipped cream topping is good by itself, but combined with the nutty, chewy crust, it becomes something more than the sum of its parts. This is a perfect spring dessert for a ladies’ lunch. – Cherie Kimmons
Crust
3 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
24 Ritz crackers, crushed
Topping
1 pint whipping cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
Fresh strawberries
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Treat a pie plate or low-sided pan with non-stick spray.
• Beat egg whites until stiff in a large bowl (see note below). Gradually add the sugar until it is all incorporated. Be careful to not over-beat the sugar and whites – you don’t want a glossy stiff meringue, just sweet whites with good body. Then add pinch of salt and the baking powder.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Fold in nuts and crackers. Spoon into the prepared pie plate or pan. Even out the mixture with the back of a tablespoon.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden; cool and refrigerate.
When you are ready to serve, whip the cream (see note below), being careful not to over-beat; you have gone too far if the cream starts to get chunky. As soon as you can run a finger through the cream and it doesn’t fold onto itself but holds its shape around the ditch you made with your finger, stop whipping. Fold in sugar, pineapple, and strawberries carefully.
To serve: cut a wedge of crust and top with a dollop of fruit mixture. Or spread the fruit and cream on top of the crust and cut like a pie. Garnish with a small, perfect berry and a sprig of mint.
Notes
Take a minute or two to toast the pecans – don’t skip this step. You can bake them in a 400-degree oven for about 7-8 minutes, watching them carefully to prevent burning. Or toss them in a skillet on medium high heat until they toast, around 5 minutes. They will burn quickly once they get hot, so don’t leave them unattended.
To crush the crackers, place them in a zip-top bag and pound them with the side of a rolling pin.
Of course you could use frozen dessert topping, but the richness and luxury of real whipped cream elevates this simple dessert. To get the most out of your whipping cream, place the beaters and bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before you whip the cream. The colder, the better. You don’t need a huge bowl to whip cream; it doesn’t incorporate as much air as the egg whites do.
To beat egg whites: make sure the whites are at room temperature. Use a large bowl since the idea behind whipping the whites is to incorporate as much air as possible. Also, be sure your beaters are spotlessly clean. Even the smallest amount of grease or oil will inhibit the expansion process. If any of the yolk gets caught in the white when you separate the egg, it will keep the whites from fully expanding.
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