Here are some tasty ways to preserve and prepare what you pick!
- Sugarless Strawberry or Raspberry Jam
- Strawberries Filled with Cream
- No Bake Refrigerator Berry Pie
- Strawberry Freeze
- Pumpkin Ginger Jam
- Strawberry Champagne Punch
- Fresh Raspberry Marzipan Tart
SUGARLESS STRAWBERRY OR RASPBERRY JAM
1 tbsp. Gelatin
2 cups crushed strawberries or raspberries
1 tbsp. Lemon juice
11/2 – 2 tbsp liquid artificial sweetener
Soften gelatin in a ½ cup (125mL) of the crushed strawberries. After 5 minutes dissolve over hot water. Combine gelatin mixture, strawberries, lemon juice and desired amount of liquid artificial sweetener and mix well. Pour into prepared jars and seal. This jam must be refrigerated and will keep up to 6 weeks.
YEILDS: 2 cups (500mL)
STRAWBERRIES FILLED WITH CREAM
16-18 large strawberries
1/3 cup mascrapone cheese (or cream cheese)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2-3 tbsp granulated white sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
You want the strawberries to sit flat. So if they are a little wobbly with the stems left on, cut the green stems off the strawberries to they will stand upright when placed on your serving tray. With a small sharp knife, cut an “X” in each strawberry, cutting almost cot the bottom of each strawberry. ( The cut should be such that the strawberry will open up but not fall apart.) Gently, with your fingertips, spread each strawberry apart to make “petals”. Set aside while you make the cream filling.
In a medium sized bowl, whip the mascrapone cheese and whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whip until soft peaks form.
Spoon the cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip (Wilton 1M works well). Pipe the cream into the strawberries. If not serving immediately, cover and place in the refrigerator until serving time.
NO BAKE REFRIGERATOR BERRY PIE
35 small gingersnap cookies
¼ cup (50mL) butter, melted
8 oz (250g) block regular or light cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp orange flavored liqueur or frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 250mL container whipping cream (bout 1 cup)
1 pint strawberries, quartered, or raspberries
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Place cookies in a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form. pick out any large chunks that don't crumble. Crumbs should measure about 2 cups. (500mL) Turn into a large bowl. Using a fork, stir in butter until evenly moist. Press along bottom and up side to the top of a 9 inch (23cm) pie plate. You can use the same bowl to prepare filling without washing. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Place in bowl with sugar, liqueur and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Pour cream into a medium size bowl. Using the same beaters, beat until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Stir one third of whipped cream into cheese mixture until blended. Using a spatula, gently fold in remaining cream just until evenly mixed. Spread over crust, right to edge. Smooth surface. Arrange fruit over filling and decorate with mint leaves. Refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at least 3 hours. If you want to refrigerate overnight add fruit just before serving. Pie without berries will keep well, covered and refrigerated, 2 days.
Serves 8-10
12 Chips Ahoy! Cookies (or similar store bought cookie)
1 pkg (250g) cream cheese (softened)
½ c sugar
1 can (335mL) frozen berry punch concentrate, thawed
1 cup crushed strawberries (mash with a fork or potato masher)
1 tub Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
1 cup strawberries, halved
Place cookies on bottom of a 9-in. Springform pan. Beat cream cheese with sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gradually add punch concentrate, beating until well blended. Stir in strawberries. Add whipped topping; stir with wire whish until well blended. Pour over cookies in pan. Freeze several hours or until firm. Remove form freezer and let stand in refrigerator for about 15 min. Before serving. Top with halved strawberries and serve.
1 kg chopped up pumpkin flesh
50 to 70 g peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 lemon
200 ml (a scant cup) of water
500 g sugar
1 pkg. pectin
**YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE 1-2 TSP OF PUMPKIN PIE SPICE OR SPICE(s) OF YOUR CHOICE FOR THE FRESH GINGER, JUST ADD IT WITH THE SUGAR AT THE END
This pretty, pink punch should be served in a glass punch bowl large enough to hold an ice ring mold. If you don't have a ring mold, improvise by half-filling a clean milk carton with water. Add 10-12 whole strawberries and set in the freezer to freeze solid. To un mould, peel off carton.
2 cups strawberries, cleaned and hulled
¼ cup icing sugar
4 cups (1 L) champagne, chilled
4 cups (1 L) perrier, chilled
1 ice ring mold with strawberries
In a blender or food processor, puree strawberries until smooth. Add sugar and process until completely dissolved. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a pitcher. Refrigerate until very cold. When ready to serve: place ice ring or block into a punch bowl. Pour strawberry puree over ice ring. Gently stir in champagne and Perrier. Serve very cold with a strawberry slice for garnish.
This is an elegant tart to serve for those special occasions.
Pastry
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tbsp granulated sugar
pinch salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter
1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice
Filling
¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp orange liqueur or substitute
2 tbsp finely grated orange peel (from about 2 oranges)
1 tsp almond extract
2 (3 oz – 90 g) pkgs ground almonds, about 2 cups
Topping
¼ cup seedless raspberry jam or jelly
1 pint fresh raspberries
Icing sugar
1. For pastry, measure flour, sugar and slat into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Whirl until blended. Cut butter into 6 cubes and add. Pulse just until coarsely ground. Add vinegar and pulse just until mixture begins to form a ball. Remove dough and gather into a ball. Place dough in centre of an un greased, round 10-inch springform pan. Generously flour hands, then press dough from middle of pan to outside edges, forming a small lip at edges of pan. Dough will not go up sides. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place oven rack a lower level. For filling, using an electric mixer, beat butter in a a large bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, from 2 to 3 min. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides a necessary. Beat in liqueur, peel and almond extract. Gradually beat in evenly distributed. Pour mixture into pastry shell and smooth surface with a spatula. Bake on bottom rack of 350 degree oven until deep golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, from 45 to 50 min. Remove to a rack to cool.
3. When tart is cool, place jam in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium, stirring halfway through, until melted, about 1 minute. Or melt in a small saucepan set over medium heat, stirring often. Brush jam over cooled filling. If making ahead, tart can be left at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated up to 3 days. When ready to serve, remove tart from pan and place on a platter. Cover with raspberries, then dust with icing sugar.
