Strawberry Marshmallows

Recipe via http://technicolorkitcheninenglish.blogspot.com

2 tablespoons (or 8 sheets) unflavored gelatin

1/3 cup strawberry purée – blend/process 5-6 strawberries and pass through a fine sieve to remove the seeds

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups (300g) sugar

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water

½ cup + 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup (140g) confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons corn starch

Line a 20cm (8in) square pan with parchment paper. Coat this with a very thin layer of vegetable oil*.

Fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. In the mixing bowl, combine the puree with vanilla extract. Sprinkle with the gelatin and allow to bloom (soften).

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, salt, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil with the lid on and without stirring. When it is at a boil, remove lid and continue to cook without stirring until it reaches the soft-ball stage – 112-115ºC/234-240ºF.

With the mixer at medium speed, pour tall of the hot syrup slowly down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Please be very careful with the hot mixture - use a splash guard if you have one. When all the syrup is added, bring the mixture up to full speed and whip until mixture is fluffy and stiff about 8-10 minutes – if you are using a Kitchen Aid mixer that will take about 5 minutes.

Pour marshmallow into the parchment lined pan and smooth with an oiled offset spatula if necessary. Drop food coloring over the marshmallow and swirl around with a toothpick to create the marbled effect. Allow to sit, uncovered at room temperature for 10-12 hours.

Mix confectioners’ sugar and corn starch and sift over the rested marshmallows. Turn slap onto a cutting board, peel off paper and dust with more of the powder mixture. Cut as desired and dredge again in the powder mixture, and shake off excess powder – using a lightly oiled knife makes this step a lot easier.

* I had a hard time removing them from the paper, but it was worth it. :D

Makes 36

Delicious Strawberry Dessert

Recipe via Louise Selk

Crumb crust:
     1 cup sifted flour
     1/4 cup brown sugar
     1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
     1/2 cup melted butter

Mix until mixture is crumbly
Put on a baking sheet - bake in oven @ 350* for 10 - 20 minutes - just until lightly browned
Sprinkle in bottom of 9 x 13 cake pan (reserving 1/4 of mixture for top)

Strawberry Layer:
Combine in large bowl and beat at high speed to stiff peaks (takes about 10 minutes)
     2 egg whites
     1 cup white sugar
     2 cups fresh strawberries or 1 - 10 oz pkg frozen berries, partially thawed (reduce sugar to 2/3 cup)
     2 TBSP lemon juice

Fold in:
     1 cup whipping cream (whipped)

Spoon over crumbs
Top with remaining crumbs
Freeze 6 hours or overnight
Cut into squares - trim with whole strawberries

Strawberry Cream Cheese Delight

Recipe via Melba Baines

Crust:
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
Mix and put in 9 x 13 pan and bake for 10 minutes - Cool

Beat:
1 pkg (125 gram size) cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup milk

Combine:
1 pkg (large) vanilla instant pudding made with 1 cup milk
1 pkg Dream Whip made with 2 cups milk as per directions on box

Combine cream cheese mixture with pudding/cream mixture
Pour over crust - Let set 1 or 2 hours

Combine:
1 small pkg strawberry jello
1 cup hot water
1 pkg frozen strawberries

Pour over vanilla/cream cheese layer
Set

Strawberry Pretzel Squares

Recipe via The Brown Eyed Baker via (Source: Kraft Foods)

The ingredients to this dessert are really simple and this doesn’t take much time to throw together, and can be made a day in advance and left to set in the refrigerator (I actually think it’s better this way). Switch up the Jello flavor and berries, or the crumbs that are used as a base. Whatever you do, TRY THIS! It’s definitely one of my all-time favorite summertime desserts.


Crust:
2 cups finely crushed pretzels
½ cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

First Layer:
1½ pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Jello Layer:
2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1½ cups cold water
1 qt. (4 cups) strawberries, sliced

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix pretzel crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter. Press onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake 10 min. Cool.

BEAT cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the milk until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spread over crust. Refrigerate until ready to use.

MEANWHILE, stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1½ hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression). Stir in strawberries. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Cut into squares to serve. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Strawberry Sauce

Recipe via ourbestbites.com
This strawberry sauce has about a million uses, is freezer-friendly, and is so much better than that jar of Smuckers strawberry sauce that you've had sitting in your fridge since that time you made banana splits 1 1/2 years ago.

1 pint strawberries
1/3 c. white sugar
1 tsp. almond extract (my favorite) or vanilla extract

Wash strawberries and remove stems. If you're feeling ambitious, you can roughly chop the berries, but I say you're already feeling ambitious enough by making your own strawberry sauce. So don't sweat it.

Combine berries, sugar, and extract in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for five minutes, stirring/breaking strawberries up with a wooden spoon constantly.

After five minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly (if you have a glass blender jar) and a lot (if you have a plastic blender jar). When cool enough, transfer mixture to blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of large chunks of mystery fruit, so I like it smooth, but you can do it however you want.

Wanna know what to do with it?

--Make banana splits with this and Sara's hot fudge sauce

--Drizzle over plain ol' cheesecake

--Spoon some over this ice cream, with or without the cinnamon (depending on how brave you're feeling)

--I'm envisioning this sauce atop a pizzookie with sugar cookie dough and lemon ice cream

--My proudest use of strawberry sauce: mix a couple of tablespoons (depending on the size of the glass and your own personal taste) with this fresh-squeezed lemonade for strawberry lemonade. So so so so good...

--Chocolate waffles, anyone? If that's not your thing, you could put them on your favorite French toast, waffles, or pancakes. Speaking of French Toast- try this one!

--Drizzle over angel food cake and add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.