Fruit Popsicles

Fact: I love ice cream. I can eat it any time, any day, any place. It doesn't matter if it's 90 or -9 degrees outside. However, ice cream has all that fat from the heavy cream and whole milk. So when your craving strikes, why not try fruit popsicles? Pureed fruit, a little bit of water, sugar, and lemon juice. Sometimes you just want a healthy frozen treat. Or you want something cold for a sore throat, and all that dairy from ice cream doesn't help. Not to mention the vitamin boost from the fruit.

I don't buy popsicles from the store, but I imagine their ingredient list is probably ten times that. So far I've made strawberry and black raspberry. I'm sure you could do the same thing with blueberry. Or peach. Or pineapple. Use lime instead of lemon. Cut back on some of the sugar if the fruit is sweet. I've seen some recipes that add herbs, such as strawberry with cilantro. Yesterday I even saw a layered popsicle recipe.

I bought push pop molds awhile ago. However, if you don't have any containers, use Dixie cups and popsicle sticks. Or if you are in a really tight bind, you could probably use an ice cube tray. Since the push pops need to stand upright while freezing, I made a holder out of a box:



I adjusted the recipe so I only made six popsicles with my molds. Unless you have molds similar to mine, it's hard to say how many this recipe will make. At least the ingredient amounts are easy to double.

Berry Popsicles



12 oz (1 1/2 cups) strawberries or raspberries
6 Tbsp sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water

Puree everything in a blender. Set a strainer over a bowl (preferably one with a spout) and strain out the seeds. You'll really need to force the puree with a spoon to get most of it. Pour the mixture into molds. Freeze until firm (roughly few hours). If you are having trouble removing from the mold, dip the bottoms in hot water for 20-30 seconds to loosen.

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Strawberry Smores Tart

Hope everyone enjoyed the first unofficial week of summer. It was in the 80s and 90s all of last week and the beginning of this week. I had every intention of going strawberry picking last weekend. However, when I called to verify, they said the berries weren't ready for picking. Boo! I had a long list of recipes to make, including Memorial Day's dessert. I stopped at another produce stand, but the strawberries were unripen. I ended up buying a pint at the grocery store, which I do as a last resort. I figured I would wait on making fresh strawberry jam and freeze pops, but I was still making this Strawberry Smores Tart.

It's a graham cracker crust with a layer of strawberries, topped with chocolate ganache and marshmallow cream. Just like a smores with the addition of strawberries. I followed the recipe as written except I had to add more graham cracker crumbs. This dessert definitely tastes good on a hot day, but you have to be careful and not let the ganache melt. I will definitely be making this recipe again and trying it with different fruits, such as peaches or bananas. If I had a blow torch, I'd toast the marshmallow creme and see if that makes it better.



Strawberry Smores Tart


Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted

Tart
10 oz. semisweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced strawberries
1/2 cup marshmallow creme

1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter; mix well. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of an ungreased 9-inch tart pan. Place onto a cookie sheet or round pizza pan for easier handling. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool.

2. While the crust is cooling, in a medium saucepan, heat the whipping cream over low heat until bubbles form around the edge. Remove from the heat and add chocolate; stir until melted. Cool 5 minutes or until lukewarm.

3. When the crust is cool, place sliced strawberries in a single layer on the crust. Pour the chocolate mixture on top.

4. Place the marshmallow cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium for 30 seconds or until softened. Stir just until smooth. Quickly drop spoonfuls over the chocolate layer. With a knife, swirl. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to set the chocolate.

8 servings.

Source: Pillsbury Farmer's Market Cookbook, July 2000, p. 84-85

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Strawberry and White Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Strawberry season is here!! The local farm opened their strawberry bushes to the public for picking. You can't get any fresher than this! So many thoughts running through my head - what should I make?? Jam? Pie? Cupcakes? How about cheesecake? Not only is it cheesecake, it has strawberry puree and white chocolate chips.

Look, it matches the counter!

The original recipe calls for white chocolate to be melted and drizzled on top. I felt that although it would be more delicious, it wasn't necessary because it would cover up the juicy strawberries. The white chocolate chips were hard to detect, so if you don't have any, I wouldn't worry too much about running to the store last-minute.



I feel that this dessert is perfect for a summer get-together, but just be careful with the heat. It will soften very quickly and best to be out only when dessert is ready.

Strawberry and White Chocolate Chip Cheesecake



Crust

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 tsp cinnamon
7 tbsp butter, melted

Filling

3 cups strawberries, washed and stemmed
32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp flour
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 cup white chocolate chips

2 pints strawberries, washed and stemmed

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil. Have a big enough pan ready to hold the springform pan. Put a kettle on because you will need hot water later.

2. In a bowl, stir cracker crumbs and cinnamon together. Mix in melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside with oven left on while you mix the feeling.

3. Meanwhile, process strawberries to a puree. Strain into a small bowl; discard any seeds or pulp leftover. Measure 1 cup and set aside. If there is any extra puree, save it for another use.

4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smoothly blended. Mix in flour. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in both extracts and cream. Then mix in puree and chocolate chips.

5. Pour into baked crust. Put the springform pan into the larger baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the large pan to reach 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until center seems firm when gently shook, 1 hr 15 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath. Cover loosely with paper towels and let cool for 1 hr. Carefully remove from the water bath. Remove paper towels and foil. Cool for another hour, or until it feels cool to the touch. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 6 hrs or overnight.

6. Don't add the strawberries on top until ready to serve. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before adding the strawberries. Arrange the whole berries on top until covered.

Serves 12-16

Source: The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook, page 78

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Picking Precious Strawberries

Before I share my tart, I would like to ask my readers if they could please vote for me to win coffee beans. I didn't realize the giveaway was a popularity contest *grumblegrumble* I deserve to win because I freshly grind coffee beans and use my espresso machine every morning. I spent $199 on my machine (which was on sale!) and $100 on my grinder (not on sale). Because fresh beans are important, I make sure to buy freshly roasted beans online, roughly $10 for an order. I need a break in my budget because I'm a recent graduate who lives near a city with a not-so-hot video market. I can babble on about beans or different coffee drinks.

ANYWAY

It's finally here - strawberry season! I discovered last year there is a farm about 45 minutes away where I can pick my own strawberries. It seems like the last few things I have made are strawberry-related: strawberry tart, strawberry ice cream, strawberry curd, strawberry jam, strawberry parfaits. Not to mention sneaking a snack here and there.

Although I have recipes to post for all those foods I listed, today I'm bringing you the tart. Now, most strawberry tart recipes were the same - tart crust, pastry cream, strawberries. Then I found a recipe that didn't use a ton of egg yolks or milk. I did have to do a quick run to the store for cream cheese.



The original recipe called for chocolate drizzle on top but also suggested dipping each strawberry tip into chocolate. I probably would have dipped the strawberries, half the tart in white with the other half being dark, but I wanted to cut back on the sugar a little. Besides, it was fine without it.

Strawberries and Cream Tart



1 9-inch pie crust
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
4 cups strawberries, washed and hulled
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 Tbsp shortening

1. Bake pie crust fully according to your crust directions (whether on package or in recipe). Let cool before filling.

2. Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Beat cream cheese until fluffy (try to get excess cream off beaters but don't worry about them being clean). Add sugar and extract. Beat well. Fold in cream. Spoon into cooled pie crust.

3. If you want to dip strawberries, melt together chocolate and shortening. Dip each strawberry tip. Arrange strawberries pointed side up over filling. Chill until set. If you want to add a chocolate drizzle, chill the tart for 30 min. Melt chocolate and shortening then drizzle onto tart. Chill again until chocolate has hardened. Store in the fridge.

Makes 10-12 servings

Source: Pillsbury's Four Seasons of Pie Baking, 1988 p. 31

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