My Funny Valentine + Recipe | Strawberry Cream Pie

                                                                        Erich is 'My Funny Valentine'

Sweet comic Valentine,

you make me smile with my heart.

       I hope everyone was able to spend some time with their sweetheart and/or the ones that they love on St.Valentine's Day.  Keith worked during the day and while he was working I made his favorite pie----a Strawberry Cream Pie.  The first time I had Strawberry Cream Pie was when we were dating and he bought one for me from our favorite Patisserie in Grosse Pointe for a special occasion.

 

I started with making a pie crust pastry and lining the inside of the pan. 


Then I pricked the bottom of the pastry and baked it until it was golden brown.  This can be made with store bought packaged pie pastry. 



Once the crust was cool I melted the semi-sweet chocolate squares and spread it on the bottom of the crust until it was covered.

While the chocolate set on the crust I made home-made pastry cream.  This can be made with a package of instant vanilla pudding. 



When the cream was cool I poured it into the pan and spread it out evenly.

Next, I sliced the strawberries and placed them on top of the cream.

I warmed 3 Tablespoons of Bonne Maman strawberry preserves in a sauce pan with 1 teaspoon of water. 

Once the preserves were loose I mashed the strawberry bits in the pan and then strained it.  I poured the cooled  strawberry preserve over the sliced strawberries.   Finally, I whipped up some heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and piped it along the edge of the crust.



Drum-roll please.......................

Voila!

Keith, 

      How divine to share a slice of this heavenly dessert, and a goblet of sweet red wine with  

 mon amour near the fireplace on a cold winter's night 

  

                                                                                    Sante'! 

                                                                          
                                                                                Je t'aime

                                                                                   ~Marcie