Description
This Strawberry Dessert Salad with Toffee is a delightful and creamy treat combining fluffy cream cheese mixture with fresh strawberries and a crunchy toffee topping made from pretzels, pecans, brown sugar, and butter. The toffee crunch is baked to perfection for a sweet and crunchy texture contrast that complements the smooth, fruity salad, making it an ideal dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz whipped topping
Crunchy Toffee Topping
- 1 cup pretzels, chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup melted butter
Fruit
- 2-3 cups strawberries, diced
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the toffee topping.
- Prepare Strawberries: Wash and dice the strawberries, then set them aside until needed.
- Make Toffee Crunch: Chop the pretzels and pecans, then combine them with melted butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Spread this mixture evenly onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet with edges to catch any melted butter.
- Bake Toffee Topping: Bake the toffee crunch in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning; it should be golden but not dark.
- Cool Toffee: Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and allow the toffee topping to cool completely before mixing it into the salad to maintain its crunch.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a mixing bowl, whip the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract together until fluffy and smooth.
- Fold in Whipped Topping: Gently fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture until evenly combined, maintaining a light texture.
- Combine Salad: Just before serving, fold the diced strawberries and the cooled toffee crunch into the cream cheese mixture carefully to keep the crunch intact.
- Serve: Enjoy the strawberry dessert salad immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Ensure the toffee crunch has cooled completely before mixing it in to avoid melting the cream cheese mixture.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts or almonds if preferred.
- For a more intense flavor, chill the cream cheese mixture before folding in strawberries and toffee.
- Serve immediately after combining all ingredients to maintain the crunchiness of the toffee.
- Use fresh, firm strawberries for the best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
