8ouncescream cheese at room temperaturelight is fine, avoid fat-free
¼cuppacked light brown sugar
½teaspoonvanilla extract
1cupheavy whipping cream
¼cuppowdered sugar
Topping
1quartfresh strawberries
2ounceschocolatechocolate bar or chips
¼teaspooncoconut oil
Instructions
Crust
Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and brown sugar to combine well. Press into the bottom and just up about 1 inch of the side of the pan and press in well. Set aside.
Pie Filling
In a large bowl, (I do this in my stand mixer) beat the whipping cream and powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. Be careful to not create butter, but it's very important to whip it firmer than you normally would for whipped cream. It should be fairly firm and hold stiff peaks. If using a stand mixer, transfer the whipped cream into a separate bowl while you do the next step in your stand mixer. Otherwise, just grab another bowl for the next step.
In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. It's important for the cream cheese to be room temp or softer so it will mix well without lumps.
Add about 1 cup of the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth and well-combined. Add the remaining whipping cream mixture by hand and fold in until just combined.
Cover the pie and chill in the fridge for several hours before adding strawberries. I would say 3 hours *minimum*, but the center will be firmed up better with more like 4-6 hours or more of chill time. *Note: you may add the berries and chocolate before chilling if you need to for timing purposes, but I prefer to chill the pie un-topped and then add the berries and topping close to serving time.
Topping
Wash the strawberries and pat dry, well. Cut off stems and place berries cut-side down on some folded paper towels while you work, to absorb extra liquid. You may also simply slice berries, if you prefer. The whole berries look gorgeous and impressive, but they can be a little messy to cut and serve, just be prepared! Arrange berries on top of pie however you choose.
Place chocolate and coconut oil in a heat-safe bowl. (If you're using a chocolate bar, break it into small equal-sized pieces first or finely chop) Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate on top of pie. Serve immediately, or chill until serving. Note that the chocolate will firm up once chilled, or stay soft and melted if served immediately.
Notes
Store your pie, tightly covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Promptly refrigerate any leftovers.
Feel free to experiment with how you like your strawberries. You could cut them in half or in slices and lay them out in a circular pattern or even dice them up and pile them on for easier eating.
Shortcut Substitutions: You can use a store-bought prepared graham cracker crust in place of the homemade one.