3 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 pkg. (3 oz) strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 Tblsp butter or margarine
1 Tblsp lemon juice
¼ c Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
4 Tblsp whipping cream, divided
1 baked 9-inch pie crust, cooled (for recipe, click here)
1 pkg. (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Whole strawberries (optional)
Reserve 2 cups sliced strawberries. Mash remaining 1 cup sliced strawberries; add enough water to make 2 cups. Stir together sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan; stir in mashed strawberries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add gelatin, butter and lemon juice; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Strain mixture; discard seeds. Refrigerate until partially set.
Meanwhile, place chocolate chips and 3 Tblsps whipping cream in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at HIGH and additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Spread chocolate mixture onto bottom of prepared crust; refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm.
Beat cream cheese and remaining 1 Tblsp whipping cream in small bowl until smooth; spread over chocolate layer. Refrigerate crust while gelatin mixture is cooling.
When gelatin mixture is partially set, fold in reserved sliced strawberries;
spoon mixture over cream cheese layer. Cover; refrigerate several hours or
until firm. Just before serving, garnish with sweetened whipped cream and whole
strawberries, if desired. Cover; refrigerate leftover pie.
