V is for Variations on a Fruit Pizza **Recipe Included**

So I finally found this recipe! It was tucked away being used as a bookmark. I figure I better share it with you before all the yummy fruits that you can use go completely out of season! I have tweaked and twisted and rearranged this recipe enough that I feel confident calling it my own creation. Huzzah!

Variations on a Fruit Pizza:

For the "dough":

• 1/4 Cup Powered Sugar
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 tsp Cream of Tarter
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 Cups Flour

Cream the sugars, butter and oil. Add the Egg and Vanilla and beat well. Sift in dry ingredients, mix well. Place mixture into a Larger Ziploc bag and press flat. Chill the dough in the fridge for about 30 - 60 minutes. Chilling the dough makes it easier to work with in the next step. Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan (this is a smaller size pan that you probably think of when you think jelly roll pan) with parchment paper. Press the dough mixture into the pan until it is flat and even. Bake at 350 for approx. 15 minutes. Let cool then cut into pieces approx. 1" x 3" in size.

For the "sauce":

• 1 8oz Package Cream Cheese
• 3/4 tsp Vanilla
• 6 TBS White Sugar

Cream these ingredients until they are smooth. Spread on top of individual 1" x 3" dough pieces.

For the "toppings":

• Use your favorite fruits that are in season! Really you can use any fruit that strikes your fancy. Place the toppings on the 1" x 3" frosted pieces. These are my favorites:
• Kiwi
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

For a little extra something I like to use Lime and/or Lemon Curd as a finally touch. Just throw some in a Ziploc bag, cut the corner off, and drizzle on top of you fruit topped cookie! Cant find the Curd? Here's a quick glaze recipe:

For the glaze:

• 6 TBS Water
• 4 1/2 TBS Cornstarch
• 3 TBS Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/2 Sugar

These are yummy and the perfect 2 or 3 bite sized cookie. Plus they look good!

Ready for the pictures?

Here's what you need for the dough.

This is what all the wet ingredients look like mixed.

This is what it should look like with all the ingredients.

Put the mixture into a big zip top bag. Notice how awkward and difficult this bag looks? Check out a way easier way to load up a large zip top bag!!

Easier right? Yup, just fold the top down and it stays nice and open for you!

Press it flat and put it in the fridge for awhile while you do some other stuff.

Okay press it into the pan. Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it super easy to remove!

Viola, time travel. This is what it should look like after you bake it!

After everything has cooled just pick up the parchment paper carefully and remove the big cookie from the pan. I like to cut it up with a pizza cutter! Shazam! Cookie bites done!

Here's what you need for your "sauce" aka frosting!

Ummm, this should be its own dessert. Okay that's kinda gross, but it does taste good!

You may then place it in a Rhinoceros bowl if you are lucky enough to have one. Okay any bowl will do.

Wash and slice up the fruit that you are using and then set up a little assembly line. Cookies, frosting, fruit, plate, curd!

So here's one little cookie all fruited up. Ain't it cute!

Yummy!

Put them all on a big ol huge plate. Or two or three big ol huge plates. Really kinda depends on your plate!

So whats all this curd business? Check out the pic, that's what I use. Cant find it? Make your own glaze, I did give you a recipe!

Put it into a small ziptop bag and cut the corner off (a small cut is good, plus its easier to make the cut bigger than smaller) and drizzle on top of your cookies. This stuff has a pretty strong flavor, so use your discretion at the amount you put on!

 

I would like one right now.

Don't they look tasty? They were a hit at the party that I made them for!

Well you might be thinking "whats all this pizza business?" Normally fruit pizza is made by placing the dough in a round 12" pizza pan, cooking it, cooling it, but NOT cutting it up first. After its cooled you spread the "sauce" (cream cheese mixture) over the dough. Then you can arrange fruit all over the top. The fruit becomes really pretty, put the fruit in circles or make a design, its fun play with it! Then sprinkle your curd or glaze over everything and then slice it into wedges! I found that while it looked good, once you cut it up it was a mess, and a very large slice of cookie that usually didn't have all the fruit parts that I wanted! So I made it bite size! Its a little more work in the beginning but I find that's its easier to share, and more approachable for potential eaters in the smaller size!

Okay so after all that, if you are still with me Ill tell you the super cheater trick. It is not as good. It does not really even compare to the recipe I just shared with you. But its a lot faster. But not better. Just faster.

Use prepackaged sugar cookie mix as the dough.

Use cream cheese frosting from a tub as the sauce.

Fruit it up to your little hearts content.

Use a premade glaze.

There. You may use this in a pinch if you must, but if you want it done right, do it like I told you the first time. Hey, Ive been there too, does this sound familiar?

Him: "Hey Hun"

Her: "Yeah, what?"

Him: "I forgot to tell you that I told Friend X that we would come over in like 2 hours to watch the game and BBQ"

Her: "Okay, that sounds fun"

Him: "I also said you'd bring dessert for like 30 people"

Her: "Really dude? Really? Thanks."

Don't say I never gave you anything.