Strawberry Recipes: Preserves, Sorbet, and Shortcake
As we enter the official start of spring, native Texas strawberry varieties are about to ripen. Months ahead of any other berry, these early bloomers provide the perfect base for an endless variety of springtime sweets. Below, you’ll find three of our favorite strawberry recipes.
Strawberry Preserves
Picked more strawberries than you can eat? Preserve your harvest to capture the essence of early spring and savor it all year long.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup lemon juice
4 cups granulated sugar
6 cups ripe strawberries, washed, hulled, and quartered
Method:
Prepare two 16-ounce mason jars for canning by running them through the dishwasher, then allowing them to air-dry. Combine ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until a pink foam emerges. Scrape off the foam, reduce heat, and cook for another 15 minutes until the mixture boils, removing foam as it accumulates. Can your preserves and they’ll last up to a year unopened; be sure to refrigerate after opening.
Strawberry-Kiwi Sorbet
This easy strawberry recipe doesn’t even require an ice cream maker. It’s the perfect thing to keep in your freezer for a cold bite of freshness.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 cups strawberries, hulled
2 cups kiwi
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Method:
Make a simple syrup by combining water and sugar in a pot over medium heat; when sugar has dissolved, simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool. Puree your strawberries, kiwi, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a blender. Pour mixture into a round or square cake pan, place in the freezer, and allow to freeze for 12 hours. Let soften for a few minutes, then scoop into bowls and serve!
Strawberry Shortcake
Warm up with a home-cooked classic.
Ingredients:
2 pints ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered
¾ cup sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
4 teaspoons salt
2 sticks of butter
3 cups heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
Method:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine strawberries in a large mixing bowl with ½ cup of sugar. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Rub 1 ½ sticks of butter in, then add 1 cup of cream until a soft dough is formed, being careful not to overwork. Roll out dough and cut into 12 rounds. Melt remaining butter to brush on the tops of your biscuits. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Beat cream and vanilla with 1 tablespoon of sugar to make whipped cream. Serve biscuits, strawberries, and whipped cream in whatever configuration you like!
If your green thumb is tingling, learn how to grow berries in your own backyard.
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