Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake Pie

A few months ago Bridget at Bake at 350 had Desserts for Dudes Month! Now I am not a dude, but I am still all over these desserts! She posted a beautiful blueberry cheesecake pie, how genius is that? Her's has a gingersnap crust, but I don't like ginger very much so I got to thinking and remembered that I had some Famous Chocolate Wafer cookies buried deep in my pantry!

Then my synapses started firing away and I realized it is strawberry season (at least it was when I made this pie)! Hmmm....chocolate and strawberries is a most delicious combination! It was decided, I would make a chocolate and strawberry cheesecake pie!

I dug through my pantry and found the wafer cookies, and then I found the strawberries in my fridge. These were the strawberries I had recently picked, but they got squished and I was only about to salvage about 1/2 cup worth! So, out I went to get strawberries from the farm stand! Let's just say the farm stand robbed me! I bought three quarts because I wanted to be able to freeze some for smoothies, well those three quarts of "okay" berries cost me 18 dollars! EIGHTEEN! That's crazy! Not that I am still bitter and bothered by it or anything. I'll drown my anger with some of this pie, oh wait there is none left for me to eat. I will just have to go "pantry diving" (just came up with that one and it is completely accurate with regards to the state of my pantry) for something sweet! In the meantime here is the recipe so you can enjoy this "berry delicious pie" :).

Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake Pie 
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 and 1/2 Cups crushed chocolate wafers
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 Cup (1 stick) butter, salted and melted

Filling:
8 oz. whipped cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 Cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Eggs

Topping:
2 Cups fresh strawberries
1/2 Cup water
1/3 Cup sugar
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons of water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For crust: In the bowl of a food processor, process the chocolate wafers until crumbly. Add melted butter and sugar, process until combined. Press crust into into pie plate and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack.
3. For filling: beat together cream cheese and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add in eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until just set. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, for topping: in a saucepan combine strawberries, water and sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in cornstarch/water mixture. Increase heat, and bring to a boil again. Boil for a minute, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from the heat, and let cool. Spoon thickened strawberry mixture over cheesecake.
6. Chill pie for at least 1 hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe Adapted from Bake at 350
Print Recipe Here