Deconstructed Almond Raspberry Cream Pies

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 C heavy cream
¼ C powdered sugar
¾ C plain Greek yogurt
A dash of nutmeg, cardamom and allspice
1/8 t almond extract
2 t vanilla
2 C fresh raspberries
1 T amaretto liquor
2 T + 2 T sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
1 T butter, unsalted
Fresh mint to garnish if desired
Half of a pie crust recipe (if you don’t make your own, use ¼ of a box of packaged pie crust mix.)

Direction:

• In a small bowl, combine the fresh raspberries with the amaretto and 1 T sugar.
• Roll out pie crust according to directions. Cut into 4, 3 inch discs. Using the remaining dough, cut out small little shapes such as flowers or starburst. Use cutters or create your own. Place the discs on a lightly buttered cookie sheet, and brush with egg wash. Then place the cut outs in the arrangement of your choice, and brush with egg wash again. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for about 4 minutes, until golden brown but not overdone. Remove and immediately sprinkle with a combination of 1 t cinnamon and 1 T sugar. When cool enough to use a spatula and remove the discs from the sheet, place them on a cooling rack until ready to serve.
• In a mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the 2 T sugar, vanilla, almond extract, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice. Continue to whip until stiff peaks. You should have a little more than 2 cups of whipped cream in volume. Using a spatula, fold in the yogurt completely yet gently, being careful not to deflate the cream. Set aside.
• Using 4 ramekins or your favorite small, clear serving dish, divide the amaretto berries into four servings and place in the bottom of the dishes. Top with the creamy almond mixture, stacking on top of the berries with a bit of a swirl. You can smooth it out if you’d like but I prefer to see a bit of the berries showing through the top. Now place one of the discs at an angle on top leaning against the inside the bowl. Place one small mint spring on top for garnish. Serve. Or keep the cream refrigerated until ready to serve. Do not chill longer than 6 hours.