Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened (for crust)
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (for crust)
- 8 ounces Full-Fat Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, softened (for filling)
- 3 cups Icing Sugar (Confectioners' Sugar), sifted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1 cup Fresh Strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 cup Fresh Blueberries
- 2 medium Kiwi Fruit, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup Mandarin Orange Segments, drained
- 1/4 cup Apricot Jam/Preserve
- 1 tablespoon Water
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 12-inch pizza pan.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until just combined.
- Mix Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Shape and Bake: Press the dough evenly across the prepared pizza pan, creating a slight lip. Dock (poke holes) the entire surface with a fork to prevent puffing. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the baked crust to a wire rack. Crucially, allow the crust to cool completely (at least 1 hour) before proceeding.
- Whip Filling Base: In a clean bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and the 1/4 cup butter until smooth and lump-free.
- Add Sweetener and Flavor: Gradually beat in the sifted icing sugar, then mix in the remaining vanilla extract and lemon zest. Beat until the filling is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
- Spread Filling: Once the cookie crust is completely cool, spread the cream cheese filling evenly across the surface, leaving a small border.
- Arrange Fruit: Wash, dry thoroughly, and slice all fruit. Arrange the fresh fruit artfully over the cream cheese layer.
- Make Glaze and Chill: Gently heat the apricot jam and water until runny; strain if necessary. Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top of the fruit. Refrigerate the assembled Fruit Pizza for at least 30 minutes to set before serving.