Boas Comidas

Glossário Culinário

Strawberry

Ingrediente

The strawberry is a delicate fruit, red, intensely fragrant, with a flavor mixing sweet and tart. The star of pies, tiramisu, pavés, ice creams, jams and fruit salads, it decorates with natural beauty and pairs with chocolate, creams and light batters.

Characteristics

A good strawberry has vivid, even color, natural shine, a green, firm stem, and a sweet perfume. Avoid fruits with soft spots, mold, whitish parts or a fermented smell. Being fragile, it bruises easily and releases water after being cut with sugar. Wash quickly under running water, dry carefully and remove the stem only after washing, so it does not get waterlogged. Store in the fridge without squeezing, preferably in a lined container, and eat within a few days. To freeze, spread on a baking sheet before bagging, so the fruits do not stick together.

Uses in the kitchen

Strawberries appear in strawberry tiramisu, strawberry pie, homemade ice cream, chocolate strawberry pie, pavés, mousses, jams, fruit salad and fondues. Fresh, they decorate cakes and dessert cups. Macerated with a little sugar and lemon, they form a natural syrup for pancakes and ice cream. Blended with milk or yogurt, they make creamy drinks. They pair with chocolate, whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk, lemon, basil, mild balsamic and vanilla batters. In pies, assemble close to serving to keep freshness.

Substitutions

In pies and mousses, strawberries can be swapped for raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or fresh cherries, adjusting sugar to each fruit’s tartness. In ice creams, peach and mango add creaminess, with a different flavor profile. For red syrup, guava and pitanga cooked with sugar work, with their own color and perfume. For decoration, kiwi and grapes add contrast, but without the classic strawberry red.

Fun facts

Drying well after washing keeps the dessert from getting watery. Cutting uniform slices makes pies prettier. A spoonful of sugar with drops of lemon enhances color and juice. On hot days, serve strawberry desserts well chilled to hold their shape. Frozen, they are great for juices and syrups, but lose firmness for decorating.

Recipes with strawberries

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