Strawberries. Most local berries are gone for the season unless you are growing your own. The weather has been testy and now it is summer-hot. Strawberries don’t like that very much.
Here is a deliciously easy recipe I made using the the last of the local strawberries from the Farmer’s Market Downtown Nashville. “Roasted Strawberry-Lemon Dessert Topping” can be put into glass jars and frozen for enjoying later. The results are not cloyingly sweet. This topping has a hint of lemon which brightens up things and the color is a deep crimson. This quick recipe (although lots of passive time) could be used for making other berry toppings. Blueberry, raspberry and blackberry topping would all be scrumptious, maybe even peach or plum?
I was inspired by a recipe I found in an early issue of “Sweet Paul Magazine”. Do you know this magazine? For many years now it has been an inspiration and delight for me with lots of doable good food and craft ideas, just wonderful stories of people and travel. I don’t know Paul, “Sweet Paul, Lowe, but I wish I did.
3 lbs of fresh berries, lemon zest and sugar.
After 24 hours just sitting around in a bowl of sugar….this is what you have (above)….
…after a few hours in a low heat oven this is what you have (above). The berry juice cooks down and thickens to a perfect topping consistency.
Spoon into clean glass jars. Freeze or refrigerate for a few weeks. Eating some immediately over ice cream is a good idea as well. Good Eating.
Roasted Strawberry Lemon Dessert Topping
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled, large berries cut in half, small ones left whole
- 3 lemons zested + juice from the lemons
- 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
Directions:
- Put prepped berries in a large bowl. Add lemon zest and juice and toss well.
- Sprinkle sugar over berries and toss again. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 12 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Put berry mixture into a large non-reactive baking dish (enamel, glass, stainless steel or ceramic).
- Bake berries, uncovered, stirring every now and then for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Remove pan from oven. As mixture cools it will thicken up somewhat but not as thick as jam. It will be a more “juicy” topping.
- Fill small (1/2 pint) glass jars with roasted berries, leaving about 1/2 headroom and seal with tight-fitting lids. Let cool completely and then store in refrigerator for a couple of weeks or freeze for using later in the summer or fall.
- Serve topping over vanilla ice cream or your favorite pound cake. Also good on top of pancakes or waffles.
Recipe based on “Slow Roasted Strawberry Jam” from Sweet Paul Magazine.
Teresa Blackburn. http://www.teresablackburnfoodstyling.com
I like this!! Particularly the addition of lemon zest to counter the sweetness. Delicious. THanks for sahring. margaret
Thank you so much for stopping by. Yes, this is just a wonderful easy, passive-time recipe. If you make it let me know how you like it. Best, Teresa
Well this looks absolutely divine!
Rachel, hello there and not only visually, but this recipe is the bomb! It has changed how I am going to approach other topping, jam and preserve recipes from now on. Happy Summer to you. T
Oh my gosh, I roasted strawberries for ice cream – it was amazing! Now I think I’m going t0 have to make something like this for my little custards I’m making! Beautiful recipe!
This topping is so beautiful! Strawberries really deepen in color. I’ve roasted cherries, but never strawberries. I need to hurry and try this before strawberries disappear!
Oh the possibilities! And how funny. Just this week I came across something in Sweet Paul when searching online and wondered what it was, intending to go back and look more later…