In metro Atlanta, strawberry season started early in April this year. Locally grown berries began showing up at farmers markets, and pick-your-own farms began opening for the season, the first and second weeks of the month.
The arrival of strawberries signals the beginning of the fresh fruit season in the south. In colder climates they’ve been harvesting rhubarb for weeks, but for us, strawberries are the first fruit of the new year.
In looking for strawberry dessert recipes to feature in this story, I talked to Robert Elliott of Decatur’s Sprig and Ryan Smith of Midtown’s Empire State South. Recipes to share? No problem.
Their ideas arrived via e-mail. White chocolate, lots of cream and eggs and sugar and exciting flavor combinations like white pepper, balsamic vinegar and mint were involved. After reading the recipes, I thought I might need a little exercise before I began testing these treats.
To do a little bending and stretching, I gathered two friends and went down to Southern Belle Farm in McDonough. About 40 miles south of the city of Atlanta, the farm offers pick-your-own strawberries now and into late May, and will have blueberries and blackberries on into the summer.
Jake Carter, a member of the fifth generation to farm this property, told me this is their third season with strawberries. Run since the 1940s as a dairy farm, the Carters are enlarging their pick-your-own operation, and are also working to turn a visit to the farm into an educational experience. They offer school field trips with milking demonstrations and a chance to pet the farm animals. It’s part of what Carter said is the family’s hope to help people connect with farms and where their food comes from.
Out in the field, I met Aja Mann and Paul Douglass with their 2-year-old son Aiden and his little brother Noah. They’d driven down to McDonough from southwest Atlanta.
Mann told me strawberries are Aiden’s favorite fruit and she had brought him to the farm so he could see how they grow. Her mom, Rochelle Callender, bragged on her daughter’s strawberry cake and told me some of the berries they were picking would go into making preserves Mann would bake into future cakes.
Picking the strawberries was a pleasure. Raised beds covered in black plastic help the plants bear their fruit as early as possible. Those same features mean the strawberries are easy to spot and the fruit stays clean. And the berries were huge. In 30 minutes we had picked four gallon buckets to overflowing.
The gorgeous spring day was a little windy, so it wasn’t until we got into the car, headed back to Atlanta, that the full fragrance of about 20 pounds of dead ripe strawberries started to blossom. Now we were ready to indulge in some decadent strawberry treats.
The 411 on strawberries
To find a pick-your-own strawberry farm, check out www.gastrawberries.org, the website of the Georgia Strawberry Growers Association.
One pound of strawberries will be about 18 whole berries. They’ll slice down to a little more than 3 cups. Pureed they’ll make about 1 3/4 (one and three quarter) cups.
Strawberries don’t ripen after they’re picked, so choose the ripest ones you can find.
Strawberries spoil quickly so only leave them on the counter if you’ll use them within a day.
Store berries in the refrigerator unwashed for 3 to 4 days.
Wash and hull strawberries just before using. If you’re not cooking them, let them come to room temperature before serving.
If you buy extra, freeze them on baking sheets in a single layer and then put into freezer storage bags. Use frozen berries for smoothies, preserves and tarts where fresh texture is not important.
Recipes
Dead ripe strawberries don’t need much in the way of embellishment, but it is fun to think about turning them into dazzling desserts like the ones featured here. After you’ve tired of eating your strawberries straight, you might bake a few into a cake, turn them into ice cream, or pickle a batch to complement a luscious Bavarian cream as suggested by two of Atlanta's top chefs.
Empire State South’s Strawberries and White Chocolate
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Serves: 8
Ryan Smith, executive chef at Midtown Atlanta’s Empire State South, sent us this recipe, a special he’ll be offering this weekend. As with many luscious restaurant desserts, there are a number of components, but everything here can be prepared ahead of time, leaving just a few minutes of work to assemble the finished dish.
Prepare the pickled strawberries and white Bavarian chocolate first since both require refrigeration. The sabayon and strawberry puree can also be prepared ahead of time, or can be made at the last minute.
When Smith plates the dessert, he sprinkles the sabayon with turbinado sugar and caramelizes it with a torch to deepen the flavor and add another texture. Edible flowers from radishes, arugula and shaved chocolate curls add more interest to the final presentation.
Sabayon, see recipe
White Bavarian Chocolate, see recipe
Pickled Strawberries, see recipe
Strawberry Puree, see recipe
Edible flowers and chocolate curls, for garnish, if desired
To assemble, spoon 2 tablespoons Sabayon on each of eight serving plates. Remove White Bavarian Chocolate from dish and slice into 8 rectangles. Place 1 rectangle on each plate. Divide Pickled Strawberries between the plates. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons Strawberry Puree to each plate. Sprinkle with flowers and chocolate curls if desired. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 359 calories (percent of calories from fat, 29), 5 grams protein, 61 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 12 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 268 milligrams cholesterol, 38
White Bavarian Chocolate
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes plus chilling time
Serves: 8
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
1/4 pound white chocolate, chopped into small chunks
1 (1/4 -ounce) package gelatin
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Line bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with plastic wrap. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve sugar. Heat mixture to 180 degrees, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and add 2 tablespoons warm milk mixture. Whisk thoroughly; pour egg yolk mixture back into warm milk and whisk together. Cook stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
Add white chocolate and stir to melt. In a measuring cup, combine gelatin with 2 tablespoons water. Stir to dissolve, then add immediately to white chocolate mixture. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into prepared dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Can be prepared up to 4 days in advance.
Per serving: 249 calories (percent of calories from fat, 66), 3 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 19 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 149 milligrams cholesterol, 27 milligrams sodium.
Pickled Strawberries
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Serves: 8
1 pint small strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons white peppercorns
Pinch of salt
Put strawberries in a 1-quart jar. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar, water, peppercorns and salt. Bring mixture to a boil to dissolve sugar, then remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature. Pour over strawberries and refrigerate. Can be made up to 2 days in advance. The longer the strawberries sit, the more pickled they will taste.
Per serving: 65 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), trace protein, 17 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, trace fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 18 milligrams sodium.
Sabayon
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Makes: 1 cup (serving size is 2 tablespoons)
6 egg yolks
7/8 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup champagne
In a double boiler, combine egg yolks, sugar and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is fluffy and thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add champagne. If not using immediately, cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
Per 2-tablespoon serving: 136 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 2 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 4 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 159 milligrams cholesterol, 6 milligrams sodium.
Strawberry puree
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Makes 3/4 cup (serving size is 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon honey
In the jar of a blender, combine strawberries and honey. Process until smooth. If not using immediately, refrigerate up to 2 days.
Per 1-1/2 tablespoon serving: 14 calories (percent of calories from fat, 4), trace protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, trace sodium.
Meringues with Peppermint-Strawberry Ice Cream and Berry Compote
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Serves: 10
Robert Elliott, executive chef at Sprig in DeKalb County’s Oak Grove neighborhood, provided this recipe, a special he’ll be offering at the restaurant this week. The combination of fruit, baked meringue and ice cream is a classic, but not one we often think to prepare at home. In the restaurant, you may find a more generous serving of ice cream than what we’re making here.
Everything in this dish can be prepared in a little more than 30 minutes, minus chilling and finishing the ice cream. You can make the ice cream early in the day you want to serve, and leave it to ripen in the freezer. Now all that’s left is the easy assembly. Elliott says it’s OK if you want to save time and purchase strawberry ice cream instead of making your own.
Meringues, see recipe
Peppermint-Strawberry Ice Cream, see recipe
Berry Compote, see recipe
Mint sprigs, for garnish
When ready to serve, place one meringue on serving plate. Place two small scoops of ice cream on top. Put a second meringue on top and add one more scoop of ice cream. Spoon compote around the dish and garnish with mint sprigs. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 304 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), 3 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 21 grams fat (13 grams saturated), 143 milligrams cholesterol, 42 milligrams sodium.
Meringues
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Makes: 20 (serving is 2 meringues)
Vanilla powder is an alcohol-free product that is simply vanilla extract dried and mixed with a cornstarch base. Elliott likes to use it in meringues where it folds in easily and doesn’t add liquid or alcohol to the whipped egg whites. You can find vanilla powder at specialty food stores. If you don’t want to use a pastry bag, spoon the meringue into 3-by-2-inch ovals instead.
3 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
5 teaspoons vanilla powder
2 tablespoons coarse sugar
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and generously coat with cooking spray.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, combine egg whites with a pinch of granulated sugar. Whip at medium speed until the whites begin to look frothy, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and add remaining granulated sugar a tablespoon at a time every 10 seconds until all granulated sugar is used. Whip egg whites until they are stiff and glossy and when the whisk is removed, the peaks remain standing, about 1 minute more. Gently fold in vanilla powder.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip with the egg white mixture. Pipe 20 oval shapes about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide on the prepared baking sheets. Fill in the middle of the ovals. Sprinkle ovals with coarse sugar. Bake 45 minutes, turning baking sheet in the oven after 25 minutes. The meringues are ready when they are firm and beginning to turn golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Meringues may be prepared up to 4 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.
Per serving (2 meringues): 36 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), 1 gram protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 17 milligrams sodium.
Peppermint-Strawberry Ice Cream
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Makes: 3 cups (serving is a scant 1/3 cup)
The custard mixture can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before churning the ice cream.
2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh peppermint leaves
Pinch salt
1 pint strawberries, hulled
In a medium saucepan, combine cream with 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until cream just begins to bubble around the edge of the pan, about 3 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar. Whisk in 1/4 cup hot cream mixture. Stir egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with cream and continue cooking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint leaves and salt. Cool 15 minutes and then refrigerate.
In the jar of a blender, puree strawberries with remaining sugar. Stir into chilled cream mixture. Refrigerate mixture for at least 2 hours, and can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Strain cream and pour mixture into container of ice cream maker. Proceed according to manufacturer directions.
Per 1/3-cup serving: 258 calories (percent of calories from fat, 73), 2 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 21 grams fat (13 grams saturated), 143 milligrams cholesterol, 24 milligrams sodium.
Berry Compote
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Makes: 3 cups (serving size is scant 1/3 cup)
1 1/2 cups halved strawberries (about 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups blueberries (about 1/2 pound)
1 1/2 cups raspberries (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup water
In a large skillet, toss the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries together with sugar. Add water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Once the water has evaporated and the compote has thickened, about 5 minutes, remove from heat and cool. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if necessary. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Per 3-tablespoon serving: 10 calories (percent of calories from fat, 4), trace protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, trace sodium.
Strawberry Pound Cake with Drizzle Frosting
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Serves: 16
This cake won first place in the 2002 Georgia Strawberry Festival for Jean Jackson of The Strawberry Patch in Reynolds, Georgia. It’s a traditional pound cake best made in a plain tube pan rather than a highly fluted Bundt pan. It makes a gracious amount of batter, and if you feel there’s any danger it will overflow your tube pan, bake a cup or two of the batter separately in a small loaf pan.
3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups diced strawberries (about 10 large strawberries), divided
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Milk, if necessary
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease a 10-inch tube pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 2 1/2 sticks butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time; remove bowl from mixer. Stir in 1 cup diced strawberries.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Alternating with buttermilk, add flour mixture to butter mixture. Spoon into prepared tube pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
In a small bowl, make frosting by combining 1/2 stick butter, powdered sugar and remaining diced strawberries. If necessary, add milk to frosting to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cake.
Adapted from a recipe provided by the Georgia Strawberry Festival.
Per serving: 455 calories (percent of calories from fat, 37), 5 grams protein, 68 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 19 grams fat (11 grams saturated), 105 milligrams cholesterol, 150 milligrams sodium.
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