Ambrosia Pie

Tippin's was a restaurant that served amazing pies and really good casual dining fare. My extended family often met there for birthday lunches or just to get together, especially when some of us would come home from college.  Sadly, Tippin's closed several years ago. One of my cousins Angie loved  their Ambrosia Pie. She remembers when she worked at Tippin's and would sneak some of the glaze as she made pies in the back of the restaurant. For her birthday a couple years ago, I decided to try to recreate this pie. I remembered it as a graham cracker crust, topped with a cheesecake-like filling (but softer than cheesecake), and covered with fruit that was coated in a sweet glaze.  I pieced together different components from multiple sources for this pie.  Everyone thought it was great, and it's pretty darn close to the original.  You can customize this pie to contain any combo of fruit you'd like, which is nice because it can be great for any season.  

Ambrosia Pie

Inspired by Tippins Restaurant

Graham Cracker Crust

5 graham crackers (full sheets)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons sugar

Pulse graham crackers in a food processor.  Add butter and sugar and pulse until combined.  Press into a 9-inch pie plate and bake at 325 degrees for 13 - 18 minutes until fragrant and browned.  

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 

Cheesecake Filling

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 cup heavy cream (to be whipped with hand mixer)

1. Mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar in stand mixer or with hand mixer until smooth and creamy.  Stir in vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon heavy cream.

2. In a separate bowl, whip cream until peaks form.

3. Carefully fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

4. Spread into crust and chill. 

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Fruit

~1 large peach

~1/3 cup blueberries

~6 large strawberries, diced

~2 kiwi, sliced into wedges

~1/3 cup red grapes, sliced in half

Fruit Glaze

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract (or regular)

1 tablespoon cornstarch (or more)

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Combine water, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer. 

2. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup water.  Add to the saucepan and stir.  Simmer a few minutes until thickened.  (Add more water/cornstarch if it's not getting thick).  Stir in lemon juice and cool glaze.

Source: Adapted from Ehow.com

To assemble pie:

1. Bake graham cracker crust and cool. 

2. Fill shell with cheesecake filling mixture. 

3. Top pie with diced fruit.

4. Brush warm glaze onto fruit.

5. Chill pie until ready to serve.

Enjoy!