Patriotic Fruit Pizza With Pecan Shortbread Crust Recipes

PATRIOTIC FRUIT PIZZA RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine the crushed graham cracker crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla until well combined.
• Spread the mixture out on a pizza pan (you can also use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish).
• In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and powdered sugar until fully mixed and smooth.
• Spread this mixture over the graham cracker crust, leaving a little graham cracker crust showing.
• Decorate your pizza with the strawberries and blueberries, and shredded coconut over to finish.

PATRIOTIC FRUIT PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• In a large mixing bowl, mash the vegetable shortening and margarine together until thoroughly combined, and beat in 1 1/2 cup of sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix in the flour mixture to make a workable dough, and spread the dough out in a rectangle shape onto an ungreased 12x17 inch baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until very lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
• While the cookie base is cooling, mash the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth. Place sliced bananas in a bowl, and gently toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
• To decorate the pizza, spread the cream cheese filling all over the cookie base in an even, smooth layer. Place the blueberries in a square in neat, closely-spaced rows, in the left upper corner for blue stars. Arrange alternating stripes of white bananas and red strawberry slices across the pizza. Refrigerate leftovers.

PATRIOTIC PIZZAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, mix flour and confectioners' sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press mixture onto a greased 12-in. pizza pan. Bake 10-15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Let cool., To make an American flag, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add vanilla and lemon juice, mixing until smooth. Spread 1 cup cream cheese mixture over crust. Set remaining cream cheese mixture aside., Referring to the photo for position, arrange rows of strawberries on top of pizza to create the red stripes of a flag. Place blueberries in the upper left corner., Cut a small hole in the tip of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #21 star pastry tip. Fill bag with reserved cream cheese mixture. For white stripes, pipe a zigzag pattern between the rows of strawberries., To make a Canadian flag, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar. Add vanilla and lemon juice, mixing until smooth. Spread 3/4 cup cream cheese mixture over crust. Set remaining mixture aside., Arrange strawberries in the shape of a maple leaf on top of the pizza., Cut a small hole in the tip of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #5 round pastry tip. Fill bag with reserved cream cheese mixture. Pipe veins on maple leaf.

~ PATRIOTIC FRUIT PIZZA ~

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. In a bowl, mix cookie dough and coconut until thoroughly blended. I covered a pizza pan with foil and sprayed with non stick cooking spray.
• 2. Spread the dough evenly into a circle as you would a pizza. About a 12 inch size...work quickly as the dough gets sticky the warmer it gets. Place in oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until starting to turn golden around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool completely. I then take the cookie off the tray and cut around the edge of cookie to remove foil from edges. You can leave it on the pizza pan if you desire though.
• 3. In a bowl, mix the milk and pudding for a couple minutes or until thick. It will thicken more as it sits. Fold in cool whip until well incorporated and then fold in 1 1/2 cups of marshmallows. Chill until crust is cooled.
• 4. Spread pudding mix evenly over crust, to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch from edge. Arrange your desired fruits however you choose. I then sprinkled with coconut. Cut into slices and enjoy... Note - the possibilities are endless with this dessert. I've made many different versions in the past. I like this one for Memorial day and the 4th of July.

PATRIOTIC FRUIT PIZZA WITH PECAN SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• 1. FOR SPREAD: In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, whipped topping, sugar and orange zest (optional) until well-blended. Set aside. Keep cool, but not cold (makes it hard to spread).
• 2. FOR CRUST: I used a stand mixer with a paddle attachment as this is a VERY stiff dough and I knew my hand would wear out. Preheat oven to 350 F (~175 C).
• 3. Cream together sugar and butter just until combined.
• 4. Add extracts and stir into butter/sugar mixture.
• 5. In separate bowl, whisk flour and salt together.
• 6. Add flour/salt mix to butter/sugar mix, a little at a time.
• 7. Add chopped pecans to dough (I chop them by hand) and work dough until nuts are evenly incorporated.
• 8. Line bottom of jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• 9. Pat out dough to cover bottom (and slightly up sides) of pan. Dough should be about 1/4-inch thick. NOTE: You will probably have leftover dough. LUCKY YOU! Make shortbread cookies! Roll leftover dough into a log, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill it. Then slice into 1/4-inch wide cookies and bake at 350 F for about 15-20 min until golden brown on edges and done in middle.
• 10. In 350 F oven, bake crust until golden brown around edges and center is cooked but not brown (10-15 min). Let crust cool COMPLETELY before topping it.
• 11. FOR FRUIT TOPPING: Wash and dry desired fresh fruits (or use drained, canned fruit). If berries are small, use whole. If fruit is larger, cut into bite-size pieces or slices. For this pizza, I cut the strawberries in half.
• 12. ASSEMBLY: Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust.
• 13. Arrange fruit in decorative patterns on top of cream cheese.
• 14. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate until serving.