Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
5 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled
18 medium strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1/4 cup finely minced crystalized ginger
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts

Beat together the cream cheese, sugar and ginger root until smooth. Add the white chocolate and mix well. Chill at least 1 hour or until easy to handle. If necessary, place in freezer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Using a very small melon baller, scoop out the center of each strawberry halfway down each fruit. Pat berry dry inside and out. Put a little crystalized ginger into each strawberry. Shape the creamy cheese mixture around each fruit. Coat one end in coconut and the other end in pistachio nuts. Place the truffles in candy cups. Chill until serving time. Makes 18 truffles.

Directions

Note: An easy but less glamorous alternative is to layer halved berries and the cream-cheese mixture in a plastic wrap-lined loaf pan. Sprinkle top with coconut and chopped pistachios. Chill until firm. Remove "loaf" by grasping sides of plastic wrap. Remove wrap. Serve in thin slices topped with additional coconut and chopped pistachios. Recipe from the California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, Calif.