Bowie's Cream Cheese Strawberries

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons grated semisweet chocolate (about 1/2 ounce)
• 32 large strawberries
• chocolate curls (optional) or chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   For filing, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powered sugar and almond extract until smooth. Stir in the grated chocolate. Set aside.

2. 2

   Cut a thin slice from the stem end of one berry. Stand the berry upright on the flattened end. Cut into four wedges, cutting to, but not through, the stem end. Repeat with remaining berries. Gently pull apart wedges a little and pipe* the filling into the center of the strawberries, being careful not to pull the wedges completely apart. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 6 hours. If desired, sprinkle berries with chocolate curls before serving. Makes 32 filled strawberries.

3. 3

   *Tip: To pipe the filling, spoon filling into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip ( or into a small resealable plastic bag, seal bag, and snip off a small piece of the plastic bag). Squeeze filling into strawberries.