Strawberries Three Ways, Basil and Whipped Cream
Can’t stop eating this dessert.. Not too sweet, slightly acidic with freshly picked basil leaves and a dollop of whipped cream.. Who wouldn’t like that.. Satisfying but light nonetheless; the perfect combo for those who enjoy ending their meal on a sweet note, minus the guilt. I call it strawberries three ways because there’s three different types of preparations involved: fresh, macerated and lastly, blended into a coulis. It looks quite fancy but fear not: This is a very easy dessert to make!
I’m not much of a baker, so I avoid making desserts that involve lots of work, measuring and cooking. However, I do love desserts and when it’s not store bought, I go for simple and easy (like this grapefruit jelly). This delicious recipe really showcases the versatility of strawberries and how a few tweaks and fixes can elevate a simple fruit into something rather stunning.
I came up with the idea of making strawberries three ways because I had too many of them in my fridge. In keeping with our efforts to eat healthy on a regular basis, Ben and I usually have fruit for dessert (see apple orange salad). I’ll cut strawberries in half and well.. That’s pretty much it folks.
But this time, in my peripheral vision I caught a glimpse of the kitchen’s mini blender. I guess you could say I had an AHA moment and couldn’t believe it took me this long to come up with this idea. Serve this on a black plate and you’ve got yourself a very ooh la la dessert!
Strawberries three ways pair well with almost anything; sponge cake, cookies and pancakes. Serving them with biscotti is one of many options to try. You can also follow this recipe for other fruits and berries. Sweetness!
Strawberries Three Ways, Basil and Whipped Cream
A strawberry dessert served three different ways! Fresh, macerated and blended into a sweet coulis. Colorful and delicious!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 people 1x
- Category: Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 pounds strawberries (rinsed and hulled)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 leaves basil (rinsed)
- whipped cream
- 4–6 almond biscotti (or other cookie/cake of your choice)
Instructions
- Divide strawberries evenly in three separate containers. Put one container in the fridge (these strawberries will remain whole).
- Take strawberries out of another container and finely slice them. Put them back in the container and add 1/4 sugar. Mix well until all the strawberries are covered and set aside. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Grab the last container of strawberries and put them in a blender with sherry vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, olive oil and salt. Blend until smooth. Return the puree in the container and set aside.
Putting the dish together:
- Put one or two biscottis on a serving plate and pour about 2 tablespoons of strawberry sauce on top. Serve with macerated and fresh strawberries. Top with whipped cream and basil leave.
Nutrition
- Calories: 209
- Saturated Fat: 1
