Cool Dessert Pizza

Fruit pizza is the dessert that delivers maximum visual impact for minimum effort. A can of refrigerated crescent roll dough rolled out and baked into a thin sheet becomes the crust. A mixture of softened cream cheese and sugar gets spread on top once it cools. Then you arrange whatever fresh fruit looks good (strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, grapes, peaches, bananas) into a colorful mosaic that doubles as a centerpiece.

The technique is foolproof, which is why this recipe has been showing up at potlucks and baby showers since the 1980s. Pinch the dough seams together so the crust bakes into one piece. Cool fully before adding the cream cheese topping (warm crust melts the topping into a slick that won’t hold fruit). Then go heavy on the fruit, the more colors and shapes the better.

Pro Tips

• Pinch every seam in the crescent dough together firmly. Gaps split open during baking and leak filling later.
• Bake the crust to a light golden brown only. Overbaked crust gets too crisp and shatters when you slice the pizza.
• Cool the crust completely before adding the topping. Even slightly warm crust will start to soften the cream cheese mixture.
• Pat fresh fruit dry with paper towels before arranging. Wet fruit makes the topping watery and soggy by the time it’s served.
• Slice with a pizza cutter or sharp knife, pressing straight down. Sawing pulls the topping off the crust.

Variations

• Strawberry version: substitute powdered sugar for granulated in the topping, then glaze the strawberries with a quick powdered sugar and milk drizzle.
• Tropical version: use sliced mango, pineapple, and shredded coconut for a beach-vacation feel.
• Berry version: pile on raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries with a drizzle of melted white chocolate.