Let's Dish With Linda Lou

When I started playing around with the idea for this dessert, I wanted to make it as easy as possible so it would be such a major undertaking to complete. Now, of course, you could make your own homemade sugar cookies if you have the time. I wanted to make a dessert you could make in 30 minutes but still gives the impression you spent the good part of a day making this dessert. My Mini Strawberry And Kiwi Summer Fruit Pizzas do just that.

My secret is using a package of ready-to-bake Pillsbury Sugar Cookies. They’ll make the perfect base for my fruit pizzas.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1o to 14 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yields: 12 3-inch fruit pizzas
Equipment: 2 rimmed baking sheet pans, 1 medium-size mixing bowl, 3 small bowls, paring knife, rolling pin, parchment paper, pastry brush

Ingredients:
1 16-ounce package of Pillsbury Sugar Cookies (24 pack)
2 pint of strawberries, hauled and sliced, then sliced into half moons
5 large kiwis, peeled and sliced then sliced into half moons
1 15-ounce container of whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons of lemon zest, 2 to 3 large lemons
heaping 1/4 cup of powdered sugar plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup of apricot jam
2 tablespoons of very hot water
all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. (If using a non-stick baking pan, bake at 325-degrees F.)

Start by liberally flouring your board and rolling pin. Take two of the raw cookie dough cubes first combining them next, with your hands, form the dough into a ball. Flour the ball of cookie dough and roll out into a circle, 1/8-inch in thickness. Place the circle onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat this process completing the entire package of cookie dough.

Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until or until light golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool completely.

While the cookies are in the oven, prep and slice the strawberries and kiwi. Place the fruit into separate bowls and set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl add the ricotta, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest, stir to combine.

Once the cookies are cool spoon on 2 tablespoons of the ricotta cream onto the cookie spreading the cream out evenly. Arrange the fruit in a circular pattern as seen in the pictures. Repeat this process for all the cookies.

In a small bowl add the apricot jam and very hot water. Whisk the jam and water together until the mixture has the consistency of a glaze Using a pastry brush, brush the apricot glaze gently over each of the fruit pizzas. This will give a beautiful shine to the fruit pizzas. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Serve on a dessert platter and garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar.