Fresh Strawberry Cream Pie recipe

8 servings

1 quart fresh medium strawberries

1 tablespoon Equal® Spoonful*

Pastry for a single-crust 9-inch pie, baked

1 1/2 (8 ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup vanilla-flavored light nonfat yogurt

6 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful**

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Glaze (optional):

2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful***

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Few drops of red food coloring

Remove stems from several strawberries and slice to make 1 cup.

Toss with 1 tablespoon Equal® Spoonful*.

Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, yogurt, 6 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful** and 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice until smooth and fluffy.

Spread half of cream cheese mixture over bottom of baked pie crust.

Top with sliced strawberries.

Cover with remaining cream cheese mixture.

Remove stems from all but 1 large strawberry.

Cut berries lengthwise in half.

Place, cut side down, over cream cheese mixture, around outer edge of pie crust, with pointed end of berry facing center of pie.

Make several thin slits in last whole berry starting near top and going to pointed end.

Press gently with fingers to form a "fan".

Place in center of pie.

if not using Glaze, refrigerate pie at least 4 hours before serving.

For Glaze, combine apple juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and cornstarch in small saucepan.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat.

Stir in 3 tablespoons Equal®, almond extract and red food color.

Spoon over strawberries and top of pie.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.