Fresh Strawberry Crepes
Strawberry Crepes
With what looks to be a great strawberry season this year I am looking forward to a lot of cooking with and just eating of fresh strawberries. One of my favorite dishes is Strawberry Crepes. The crepes take a little time but the end result is so worth the effort. These can be served as a dessert, but also for brunch or breakfast.
Strawberry Crepes
1 recipe dessert crepe batter- see below
2 lbs.fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
sugar to taste- start with 1/2 cup, then adjust to your taste
1 t. vanilla
1 t. grated orange peel
powdered sugar
whipped cream, optional
Make the crepe batter (recipe below) and cook the crepes. Toss the berries with the sugar, vanilla and orange peel. Place a crepe on your work surface and spoon berries down the middle. Fold up the sides of the crepe and move to serving dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you run out of something. I tend to put a lot of the berries in each crepe so I run out of berries and have left over crepes. How much fruit you put in each one is completely up to you and your taste. Dust filled crepes with powdered sugar and top with extra berries- if you have any left. You can also add some whipped cream on the top. I list it as optional- but I really think you’re going to want that whipped cream. Makes about 12 crepes, give or take.
Dessert Crepes
1 c. flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
1 T. sugar
2-T. orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice concentrate
1/4 c. butter, melted and cooled
Mix all ingredients in blender (except butter) until smooth, scraping sides often. Add butter and blend well. Let stand for 30 minutes before using, or batter can be refrigerated, covered, over night. Beat again, just before using.Heat 6 or 7 inch skillet. Brush with butter or oil and pour in about 2 teaspoons of batter, tipping pan to cover bottom of pan completely with batter. Cook until edges start to brown, turn over and cook until lightly browned (about 2 minutes per side.) Crepes can be made day ahead or even placed between sheets of waxed paper and frozen. Makes 20.
Strawberry Shortcake “Sliders”
Strawberry Shortcake “Sliders”
While we were enjoying these at dinner last night one of my friends said they looked like sliders and the name stuck. I made the shortcake base with cream scones and used an ice cream scoop to put the batter on the baking sheet. They ended up looking like little sandwich buns. Split and filled with sweetened strawberries, I replaced the top and added chocolate ganache and whipping cream to finish them off. They were a big hit. The scone was tender and not too sweet. Satisfying and light at the same time.
Strawberry Shortcake “Sliders”
The shortcakes
2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
½ t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1 1/4 c. heavy cream or 1 cup half and half
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients and gradually add cream to form soft dough. Stir mixture until it just holds together. Using an ice cream scoop place batter on baking sheet a couple of inches apart. You should get about a dozen. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Makes about 12. Cool on rack until ready to use.
The berries
2 lbs. strawberries, sliced thin
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste
Combine berries and sugar in medium bowl and place in fridge until ready to use. Berries should be in the sugar for at least a couple of hours and can even be prepped a day ahead to allow the juices to come out of the berries.
The ganache
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips or 6 oz. semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream.
Combine both in double boiler or in microwave and heat until mixture is just warm enough to melt the chocolate. Stir until smooth.
The whipped cream – use whipped cream, sweetened or unsweetened according to your taste.
Assembly: Slice the caps off the tops of the shortcakes. Place a generous spoonful of the sliced berries on the bottoms of the shortcakes and spoon some of the strawberry liquid over them as well. Place the tops of the shortcakes back on and spoon on a dollop of the chocolate ganache. I let me get to room temperature so it didn’t drip down exactly as I had planned. Top with some whipped cream and serve. Makes about 12.
“sliders” with berries added
Ganache added
Ready to serve.
Strawberry-Vanilla Jam
Strawberry Vanilla Jam
I picked up some great berries. Making jam this weekend. I really like the addition of some vanilla to my strawberry jam. I think it adds a nice additional layer of flavor without covering up the natural beauty of the berries. I try to make enough to last all year but I end up running out quickly. This jam is great on toast but also a nice addition to several desserts I make.
Here is the recipe.
Strawberry-Vanilla Jam
2 qts. strawberries, stemmed, washed and crushed
2 T. pure vanilla
1 package dry pectin
1/4 c. lemon juice
7 cups sugar
Combine berries, vanilla, pectin and lemon juice in large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Add sugar and turn heat up to high. Stir often until mixture comes to a boil. Boil hard one minute stirring constantly. Ladle hot jam in to jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims and screw on lids comfortably tight. Place in boiling water bath and process 5 minutes. Remove to cooling rack, towel or wooden surface to cool. Makes 8-9 half pints.
Strawberry Won Tons
Strawberry Won Tons
Still playing around with these won ton wrappers. I wanted a dessert recipe and decided a spin on strawberry pie might be fun. I started with a pound of strawberries. I used about a cup of sliced berries to make the glaze. Just placed the berries in a small saucepan with about 1/2 cup of water and brought to a boil. Simmered for 10 minutes or so- until the berries lost color and the liquid turned a pretty red color. I strained out the liquid and discarded the berries. I put the berry liquid back on the stove, sweetened with sugar to taste- about 1/4 cup, maybe a bit more. I also made a slurry of water and tapioca starch to thicken it. I could have used corn starch but tapioca starch holds up better to reheating. I used about a tablespoon of tapioca starch and a couple of tablespoons of cold water and poured this into the simmering strawberry liquid until it got to the thickness I wanted. I removed the glaze from the stove and let it cool down. Once cooled I added about 2 cups of finely chopped strawberries. Now my filling was ready to go.
To make the little strawberry-wontons I just put a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of a wonton. I moistened the edges of the wrapper with water and folded it in half. I also folded some up like little eggs rolls. In small pan I heated the oil to 350 degrees. Less than half an inch of oil in the pan. Pan fried until crisp- about 30-60 seconds per side. Drained on paper towels and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Spoon filling on center of won ton wrapper
Pan fry until crisp
Cool a little then dust with powdered sugar
Strawberry Cupcakes
Strawberry Cupcake
We had a lot of fun in the cupcake class in Concord last night . I thought I’d share a couple of the recipes with you. Here is the strawberry cupcake with strawberry butter cream frosting. Perfect for any party. A very special cupcake with the addition of color and flavor from the berries.
Strawberry Cupcakes
2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing. Makes 12.
Strawberry Frosting
1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
Pinch of coarse salt
3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners’ sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not over-mix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream. Makes enough for 1 dozen cupcakes.
