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1
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you begin.
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2
Set aside 4 of the cherries and chop the remainder.
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3
In a bowl,with a wooden spoon, stir the softened cream cheese until smooth- do NOT use an electric mixer for this.
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4
Blend in sugar and chopped cherries by hand util blended.
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5
Add food coloring and stir gently so as not to splatter dye everywhere.
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6
Stir in just 1/4 cup of the Cool Whip gently- you don't want to crush out all of the air.
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7
Spread evenly on bottom of chocolate cookie pie crust shell.
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8
Get out a whisk and combine the dry pudding mix with the nonfat dry milk powder.
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9
While whisking vigorously, pour the water into the pudding mixture and whisk until well combined- the dry milk powder will make it start to set up and thicken almost instantly so work quickly or you will end up with pasty gobs& lumps.
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10
Stir in brandy extract (yes- you can sub real brandy or sherry, if desired).
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11
Pour this mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer and smooth with a rubber spatula.
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12
Cover pie and chill in fridge 10 minutes.
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13
Using remaining 1/2 cup Cool Whip, use a spoon and drop 8 dollops of Cool Whip on top of the pie all around the outer rim decoratively (or you can just spread it all on top if desired).
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14
Cut the 4 reserved whole cherries into halves and garnish each dollop.
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15
Recover and let chill at least 1 hour before serving.
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16
Note: If you don't have nonfat dry milk powder, substitute 1 1/4 cups cold milk and omit milk powder& water.
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17
If using the cold milk, the second layer will need to chill much longer than 10 minutes- chill until firm, then garnish with the Cool Whip dollops& cherry halves just before serving.
