, toasted coconut, crushed meringue cookies or toasted marshmallows (yummy). data-pin-do=)
Watermelon ‘Pizza-Pie’ by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
August 12, 2022
No crust. No dough. No cooking. And no baking is required. Festive and Impressive. Quick and easy. It’s all you need as part of a summer dessert tableau. I took a slice from a whole, small watermelon and cut it into 6 wedges, but you could easily buy pre-cut wedges of watermelon and put 6 or 8 wedges together to form a circle. The toppings will cover any variations in the shape/size of the ‘pie’. And feel free to vary and/or augment the toppings—add shaved chocolate, different fruits (like sliced peaches), toasted coconut, crushed meringue cookies or toasted marshmallows (yummy).
- Prep: 25 mins
- Yields: 6-8. (One watermelon wedge per serving.)
Ingredients
6 or 8 each, pre-sliced, seedless watermelon wedges
1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons plain yogurt
1-pint fresh strawberries, washed, stemmed and halved
½-pint fresh blueberries, rinsed
½-pint fresh blackberries, rinsed
½ cup your favorite granola
Optional ingredients from above (shaved chocolate, toasted coconut, crushed meringue cookies, sliced peaches) or your own ideas
Directions
Pat the watermelon slices dry on both sides, with a paper towel. Arrange the slices in a circle on your serving platter. (Patting the watermelon dry will help prevent the cream and toppings from sliding off.)
Refrigerate while you prepare the toppings.
Prepare the berries and set aside. (Refrigerate if not using right away.)
Combine the sugar and cream together in a chilled stainless-steel bowl. Whisk for 2-3 minutes or until you have soft peaks, and the cream is voluminous. Add the yogurt and whisk gently to incorporate. The yogurt will add just a bit of ‘tang’ to the whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve the ‘pie.’
Build your ‘pie.’
Blot the top of the watermelon slices again with a paper towel, if the slices look juicy again after sitting in the fridge. Cover the top of the watermelon slices with the whipped cream. Build up a layer of cream that’s about 1 ½ -inches thick. Arrange the berries over the top of the cream and sprinkle the granola over the top of the fruit. Add any optional toppings that you may have chosen.
Serve immediately.
N.B. I need to give a shout-out to my friend and colleague, Maria Cavaleri, pastry chef extraordinaire at Tosca Restaurant in Hingham, MA. She recently posted her version of this dessert on Facebook.
Thanks, Maria!
