Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie

Posted by Lori:
This original recipe was found at Allrecipes.  I added some of the reviewers suggestions and a few of my own changes.  All I can say is - WOW!  This is a great pie! 

If you don't want the chocolate, just omit it.  It will still be a great fresh strawberry pie, without the store-bought glaze that so many recipes use.

CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY PIE

2 pounds fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 to 1 cup chocolate chips, divided (milk, semi-sweet, or dark...could use a Hershey's chocolate bar or 2)
One baked 9 inch pie crust (I recommend mom's recipe)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar

In small bowl, melt half of chocolate chips in microwave. Use caution as chocolate burns easily. Stir until smooth. Spoon melted chocolate into baked pie crust. Spread carefully over bottom and up sides (halfway) of crust.  The remaining chocolate chips will be used later.

Use half of the strawberries across bottom of chocolate covered crust, keeping pointed ends facing up. 

In small sauce pan, mash remaining strawberries. (I used a small juice cup to mash them.)  Add sugar, lime juice and cornstarch.  Stir together over medium heat.  Bring to a boil.  Continue to boil for three minutes or until mixture thickens.  STIR CONTINUALLY.

Pour thickened strawberry mixture over strawberries and chocolate.  Refrigerate for several hours.

In small bowl, using electric mixer on high speed, whip heavy whipping cream with sugar until soft peaks form.  Dollop or pipe onto cooled pie. Melt remaining chocolate chips.  Drizzle onto pie.

(Note:  For the whipping cream and chocolate drizzle, I used pastry bags and decorator tips, but using a spoon will work just fine!)