Strawberry Pretzel Pie
I can 100% appreciate a dessert that’s quick, easy to throw together in a pinch, and proceeds to look quite impressive (even with any baking short-cuts involved). My favorite baking shortcut - no bake. The words “no bake” are like music to my ears when I’m trying to do a thousand things for dinner but can’t let go of wanting a tasty dessert, too. Or when I’ve got some people coming over and I’m not trying to fuck with the stress of icing a cake. No bake is a go-to. & throw in a fresh fruit topping that takes the place of a tedious finishing touch is even better. This Strawberry Pretzel Pie is no bake in all its glory. Quick, easy, & so pretty to look at when all is said and done.
No bake cheesecakes are my favorite no bake variation. They’re still so creamy and fluffy with that tangy cream cheese flavor, but they almost feel lighter. Probably thanks to the whipped cream addition. Regardless - they’re a true gem. This particular no-bake gets a strong fruit flavor from a robust strawberry topping & the addition to strawberry jam to the filling. Key - skip the Smuckers and get a really good jam that has chunks of the fruit riddled throughout. They’re delicious to bit into as you eat a piece of the cake.
I did, however, do something during this bake that I’ve never done. I bought Tofutti (the dairy free cream cheese substitute), & all I can say is quarantine made me do it. Apparently cream cheese is now on the “hard to find at the grocery store” list, & my local neighborhood market is now pushing Tofutti in its place. But what was I to do? I was SET on this no bake cheesecake, and I only needed 4 ounces of the stuff since I already had a full brick at home. So I did it. I bought the damn Tofutti I didn’t like that I was doing it, but it happened. The first thing I did was immediately run home and taste the stuff. I was so curious like what the eff it was. & ya know - not too bad (actually!). It’s tastes like almond milk cream cheese. I drink my fair share of almond milk, & so it didn’t scare me. Interesting? Yes, but truly not bad. The texture is exactly the same as cream cheese, and the filling for this cake did turn out lovely. I’d for sure go the route of making this with regular cream cheese in future attempts, so that’s why I’m sticking to just straight cream cheese in the recipe. But fun to know that you could use Tofutti as a substitute & work towards a dairy free cake if a vegan was coming to the party. Maybe someday!
The pretzel crust is fun surprise numero uno of this cake. Four cups of pretzels + one cold stick of butter + a couple tablespoons of maple or honey pulsed together in a food processor, and you’ve got yourself a pretzel crust. Best part - no melting of the butter. That’s the only pain in the ass step when it comes to a graham cracker crust (my other favorite pie crust), & totally not required here. Just throwing all this stuff in the processor it makes a quick a crust that has the whole sweet & salty thing going on. Like a honey roasted flavor that carries through with every bite of the finished dessert. De-lightful!
The fresh strawberry topping on this - heavenly. & the other wowing element to the cake. Big, bright strawberries tossed with a bit of maple syrup get sauce-y, and it turns into this drippy topping that’s fruity & effortlessly delish. The real take it to the next level touch is the fresh mint. Just the smell from a couple of fresh sprigs of mint add such a nice herbal depth to this dessert. I like to keep the mint loosely torn so that you get some bigger pieces mixed in opposed to minced or finely chopped. The smell, the taste, & the pleasant green pops on top of the cake - it all works.
This was my Mother’s Day bake, and (another) Mother’s Day spent nowhere near mom. We’ve not lived in the same state for like 7 years, and Mother’s Day without your mom - it’s a little sad no matter what. I mean don’t get me wrong - the woman is still around (thank god!) and we chat and live in the world of FaceTime, so all is good. But I always feel like a shitty kid. I feel the pressure to make my mom really feel like I love her, and the feeling is especially strong this year. Maybe it’s quarantine and worrying that she’s a little lonely, too, or maybe its just the increased appreciation I have for my mom as an adult myself, and the sweet support she still provides even when I act like a spoiled brat (I’m sad to admit that monster does rear its ugly head now & then). I’m an only child, which also means that no other sibling is going to jump in & help make my mom feel special, so the pressure is on. I check the box of sending a care package. I check the box of getting on FaceTime. & this year I had a tinge of the Mother’s Day blues. In an effort to keep it to myself and self soothe, I resorted to making this cake. It was both my pick me up & my end of the day treat, and I may have to make this one for my mom next time we reunite (sans Tofutti!).
For the crust
4 c. pretzels
1 c. cold butter, but into cubes
2 tbsp maple syrup
For the cake
12 oz. cream cheese
1/2. powdered sugar
1 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp strawberry jam
1 lb of strawberries
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp fresh mint, torn (for an organic look)
Turn the oven to 350.
Start by putting the pretzels in a food processor and puree for about 30 second. You want them to turn into pretzel sand (but a few larger pieces are ok). Add in the cubed butter and maple syrup, & pulse until a large ball forms. That’s your crust-dough.
Grease a spring form pan, and press the pretzel dough into the pan. You want to press firmly, getting the pretzel crust to come up the side of a pan about a 1/2 inch. Again, press firmly, even if you’re working with the crust for a couple minutes, to get a really solid crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Place the cream cheese & powdered sugar in an electric mixer, & turn the mixer to low, gradually increasing the speed to incorporate the sugar (without it going everywhere). Get the speed up to medium high, and let it go at this speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer still on, add in half of the heavy cream slowly. Once it’s fully blended in, add in the rest of the heavy cream & the vanilla, and beat for another 3 minutes. You want it be light & fluffy. Turn off the mixer, and gently fold in the jam. Pour the filling into the prepared crust, gently smoothing out the top with a spatula. Refrigerate it for 3 hours.
Right before serving, place the strawberries & the maple syrup in a large bowl, tossing so that the strawberries are coated in maple syrup. Gently fold in the mint, and pour the topping right on the cake. I like the look of the topping in a a bit of a line across the cake (instead of piled right on the center), so that’s what I went for.