STRAWBERRIES & CREAM ICE CREAM PIE: National Strawberries & Cream Day

Today is Strawberries & Cream Day! One way to celebrate would be to stuff strawberries with whipped cream and dip in chocolate, but here's another way to celebrate the day -- Strawberries & Cream Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Crust. This would be perfect for the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.

Strawberries & Cream Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust

Ingredients
1 Chocolate Cookie Crust
3 cups Strawberry ice cream or Ben & Jerry's Strawberries & Cream ice cream, softened

Whipped Cream
1 cup Sliced fresh Strawberries

Chocolate Cookie Crust

Ingredients
30 Chocolate wafers
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Pinch of salt

Directions for Cookie Crust
Whirl cookies in food processor until finely ground.
Put crumbs in mixing bowl and add butter and salt until crumbs are moistened.
Press mixture across bottom of 8-inch pie plate and up sides. Pack tightly.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 6 minutes.
Cool before filling.

Directions for Pie
Be sure and cool crust before adding ice cream.
Spread ice cream evenly over crust.
Smooth top.
Put pie in freezer until solid (or until ready to serve - for up to 3 days)
Before serving, top with whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries.

STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE FOOL: National Strawberries & Cream Day

Today is National Strawberries and Cream Day. To celebrate, you can always have some lovely fresh strawberries with cream or whipped cream, but you can also take it up a notch without much extra work? I love this recipe for Strawberry Chocolate Fool. This is one of the easiest desserts to assemble and just perfect with all the fresh strawberries in the market right now. What's great about this dessert is that there are only really three ingredients--and I usually have them in pantry and fridge--Chocolate, Strawberries, and Cream. Ok, you can add a bit of salt and vanilla, but you don't have to.

What's a Fool you ask? It's a classic British dessert of fruit and whipped cream, and it's perfect for the warm summer weather. The word fool actually comes from the French word fouler which means to crush. You crush the strawberries! Then you whip the cream and add some chopped chocolate. It's kind of like a mousse. Want to elevate your presentation? Serve this Strawberry Chocolate Fool in clear individual containers such as wine glasses--either stemmed or short. Another serving option would be to serve in short clear mason jars. I have tons of those! And, FYI, bookmark this recipe for a last-minute Valentine's Day dessert.

STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE FOOL

Ingredients
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped finely
2 cups fresh sweet strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla (optional)
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions
Put sliced strawberries in bowl (save some for layers and garnish). Add sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mash berries and chill for 30 minutes.
Whip cream to stiff peaks. Fold chilled strawberry mixture and chopped chocolate into whipped cream.
Spoon into serving dishes, alternating layers with remaining chopped strawberries. Garnish with chopped chocolate and a strawberry.