Fruit Pizza with Pretzle Crust

• 
  
• Here is a yummy dessert I made while in Cincinnati for some of my friends.  Sweet and salty + chocolate + fruit = addicting :)  

Crust:

• 3 cups finely crushed pretzels
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups cold butter or margarine

In a bowl, combine pretzels and sugar; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a 9 x 14-in. pizza pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack; refrigerate for 30 minutes. (NOTE: It's a bit hard to predict the saltiness of the crust using regular pretzels.  Buying unsalted pretzels and adding coarse salt to taste gives you more control).

Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 
  
• 
  
• In double boiler melt chips and add heavy cream, mix until smooth take off of heat.  In mixing bowl cream together sugar and cream cheese until smooth, slowly add chocolate mixture. Mixture will thicken up as the chocolate cools.
  

Topping:

Any fruit you want!  I like fresh berries :)

Sauce:

Frozen raspberries

Sugar to taste

1 -1 1/2 c. Water

Sorry, the quantities are a bit vague because I just eyeball it :)  Puree desired amount of raspberries while frozen. Add enough water to make a nice thin mixture.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Add sugar as mixture cooks till desired sweetness is reached.  Simmer about 15 minutes, till thickened.  Sauce will thicken more as it cools.  

After crust is cooled, top with frosting.  I add the berries and sauce to individual slices because leftovers will become soggy overnight if you do it all at once.  Whipped cream would be good too :) 

Next time I make this I think I am going to experiment with a cookie layer, maybe brownies or blond brownies, for an extra strata of yumminess.  And more calories.  Of course.  

Enjoy!