Stuffed Berries

I recently bought some very delicious strawberries and was surprised at how good they were at this time of year. It reminded me of a dessert I made late last summer but never posted. So, here is my version of the Deen Brother's Stuffed Strawberries. I thought they were really good, but they were a bit of a pain to stuff with just an "x" cut into them. Next time I'll probably just use a star icing tip to hollow out the berry before stuffing...might make things easier.

Stuffed Berries

2 quarts whole medium/large strawberries
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 to 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or almond)
1/4 cup toasted coconut

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter. Carefully cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms with a criss-cross cut. Fan wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Adapted from The Deen Brothers