Fresh Strawberry Dessert Recipes

Strawberry season is coming and it's time to dig out those fresh strawberry dessert recipes.

National Strawberry Month

May is the month that spring really takes hold, bringing with it flowers and National Strawberry month. May really is the best time of year to enjoy fresh strawberry dessert recipes because it is when strawberries are in season and at the height of their sweetness.

Strawberries do not ripen after they have been picked, which is why when you find strawberries out of season they might look fabulous but they probably won't taste sweet. In fact, under-ripe strawberries tend to have almost no flavor at all.

But things are different in May when the strawberry is at its peak of flavor. In fact, to get the best strawberry flavor you might want to check out your local farmers market or, even better, see if there is a pick-your-own berry farm near-by where you could pick the freshest and juiciest berries.

What To Do With Your Strawberries

Fresh strawberries do not last very long, so if you plan on saving them you will have to work fast once you get home. Freezing strawberries is really easy and they can keep for months in the freezer. The only problem with freezing strawberries is that they tend to get a bit mushy when they thaw out. To avoid this problem, you can use dry ice to flash freeze them, but I don't know anyone who has dry ice around the house, so I just deal with the fact that my incredibly sweet berries will have to be made into pies, sauce, or margaritas once they are thawed.

To freeze strawberries, just wash them, dry them thoroughly, and then place them on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place the cookie sheet with the strawberries in the freezer and let freeze overnight. Then just store them in a zip top bag. You can use frozen strawberries in place of ice when making strawberry margaritas.

Fresh Strawberry Dessert Recipes

To truly get the best flavor from your strawberries, the less you do to them the better. Usually just sprinkling the strawberries with sugar and a bit of cream is really all you need, but a quick dip in melted chocolate can be delightful as well.

Strawberry Parfait

Parfaits have layers that can not only make your desert look spectacular, but can help hide little extra surprises that your guests might not have expected.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of heavy or whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons of confectioners sugar
• 4 tablespoons of sugar
• 4 cups of fresh strawberries
• 4 parfait cups
• 1 recipe for chocolate sauce

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the strawberries.
2. Cut the tops off of the strawberries.
3. Slice the berries.
4. Place the sliced berries in a bowl and sprinkle with the 4 tablespoons of sugar.
5. Mix and place in the refrigerator while you make the cream.
6. Using a medium sized bowl that has been chilled for about ten minutes in the refrigerator, whisk the cream for three minutes.
7. Add half of the confectioners sugar and continue whipping for another two minutes.
8. Add the rest of the confectioners sugar and whip to a medium stiff peak.
9. Place about a quarter cup of sliced strawberries in the bottom of each glass.
10. Carefully pour a small amount of chocolate sauce in the center of the strawberries.
11. Add a good dollop of whipped cream over the strawberries, about a quarter cup but you don't have to measure it.
12. Repeat this process until you reach the top of the glass.
13. Top with a large dollop of whipped cream and any remaining strawberries.