Creamy Tropical Dessert (lighter recipe)

Enjoy these chilled creamy fruit squares without worrying about your waistline! Removing fat--but not flavor--is easily accomplished with reduced-fat cream cheese and frozen whipped topping.

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 9 hours 0 min
Makes: 15 servings

(6 ratings)

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Almond Pastry
1 1/2	cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1	cup margarine, softened
1/2	cup powdered sugar
1/2	cup almonds, finely chopped
Filling
1	package (8 oz) reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened
2/3	cup granulated sugar
2	teaspoons vanilla
1	can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, drained, 1 cup juice reserved
3	cups frozen (thawed) reduced-fat whipped topping
2	cups miniature marshmallows
1	tablespoon cornstarch
1	cup kiwifruit slices or strawberries, quartered

1.	Heat oven to 400°F. In large bowl, beat flour, margarine and powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed about 2 minutes or until creamy. Stir in almonds. Spread in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown; cool.
2.	In large bowl, mix cream cheese, granulated sugar and the vanilla until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup pineapple. Stir remaining pineapple into cream cheese mixture. Fold whipped topping and marshmallows into cream cheese mixture. Spread over pastry crust. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 48 hours.
3.	In 2-quart saucepan, gradually stir reserved 1 cup pineapple juice into cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute; cool. Fold in reserved pineapple and the kiwifruit. Cut dessert into squares; serve with fruit mixture. Store in refrigerator.

Storage tip

If you need to store fresh strawberries a day or two, place them in a single layer in a 15x10x1-inch pan lined with paper towels. Cover the berries with paper towels and refrigerate.

Success

Remove the hulls of the strawberries after rinsing to avoid water-logged berries.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 355 (Calories from Fat 180 ); Total Fat 20 g (Saturated Fat 7 g); Cholesterol 10 mg; Sodium 220 mg; Total Carbohydrate 40 g (Dietary Fiber 1 g); Protein 5 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 16 %; Vitamin C 8 %; Calcium 4 %; Iron 4 % Exchanges:
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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