Fruit Pizza (Recipe)

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Crust:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

Orange Sauce:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel

1/4 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons cornstarch

Filling:

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Fresh fruits of choice (about 7 cups total): sliced peaches, nectarines, strawberries, kiwi fruit,bananas, grapes, apples, mandarin oranges and/or raspberries

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325°.  Lightly grease two 12-inch pizza pans.

2. To prepare the crust: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter or margarine, powdered sugar and granulated sugar until light.  Add the egg, vanilla and almond extract, beating well.

3. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture, blending thoroughly.

4. Divide the dough in half.  With lightly floured hands, pat the dough into the prepared pans.  Bake in the 325° oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden; cool.

5. To prepare the orange sauce: Combine the sugar, orange and lemon peel, orange and lemon juice and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is thick.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.  Cover and cool the sauce without stirring.

6. Meanwhile, to prepare the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy.

7. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crusts.  Decorate with fruit.

8. Glaze the fruit with the cooled sauce.  Chill the pizzas until ready to serve.

Tips:

When you only need one pizza, wrap and seal the extra crust in moisture-vapor-proof wrap and freeze the extra crust for another time; then make only half the filling and orange sauce. 

The clusters of tiny grapes on top of the pizza in the photograph are known as champagne grapes.  Look for them near the other grapes in the produce section of the grocery store.