No Bake Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cream Pie

It's almost Valentine's Day, which is definitely one of my favorite holidays.  Knowing the holiday of love, flowers, and chocolate is around the corner, makes these dreary days of winter brighter.  My kids have another snow day (that's seven in the past 3 weeks, if you've been keeping track!) so I decided to start the Valentine's celebration a little early.  Now, this strawberry cream pie started out as a no bake strawberry cheesecake recipe.  But as I was making this, I realized the ingredients yielded a more creamier texture than a traditional cheesecake.  Not to worry, though!  The taste of this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cream Pie is just as flavorful as I was imagining!  First of all, chocolate and strawberry are a match made in heaven by themselves.  I could eat chocolate covered strawberries as a dessert alone.  But combined with chocolate sandwich cookies and strawberries cream cheese, the taste is even more divine.  

The day started out on a high note for my kids with a "no school phone call," but this dessert made the kids' "snow day" today!  It does requires several hours to cool in the fridge.  So even those it's easy to make, you'll definitely want to set aside some time before you make this dessert.  Hope you have something special planned with your "sweeties" this Valentine's Day.  I think ours is off to a great start!  Here's how I made this  No Bake Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cream Pie:

Ingredients
Crust: 2 cups crushed sandwich cookies (approximately 20-25 cookies); 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Strawberry filling: 1 pound strawberries; 8 ounces strawberry cream cheese; 8 ounces mascarpone cheese; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 cups Cool Whip; 1 tsp. vanilla
Garnish: 1/3 cup Cool Whip; 5-10 strawberries; 7 ounces microwaveable milk chocolate wafers.  

Directions: Use a food processor to pulse sandwich cookies.  Place in a small mixing bowl.  Melt butter in microwave for approximately 30 seconds and combine with cookie crumbs.  Press onto bottom and slightly up the sides of an 8x8 springform pan.  Place in the refrigerator while preparing filling.
Strawberry filling: Rinse and cut stems off strawberries.  Puree strawberries in a blender.  Place room temperature cream cheese and room temperature mascarpone cheese into a medium size mixing bowl.  Add the sugar and vanilla.  Using a hand mixer set on medium speed or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat until smooth.  Add the pureed strawberries.  Mix until combined.  Fold in the Cool Whip. Set aside remaining Cool Whip for garnish. Remove the springform pan from the refrigerator.  Pour filling over crust.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (over night if preferable).  
Garnish: Rinse strawberries and pat dry.  Melt chocolate wafers in microwave, stirring in 30 second intervals.  Dip strawberries in melted chocolate and cool on waxed paper.  When filling is set, pipe Cool Whip on center of pie.  Garnish with chocolate covered strawberries.  When ready to serve, center springform pan on serving dish.  Unlatch spring on pan.  Carefully lift sides of pan.  Serves approximately 8.