6 Quirky Twists on Strawberry Recipes from DSSC & The Bombaykery

Strawberries are in season and while we love gorging on them dipped in chocolate and layered between cakes, it’s time to take it up a notch and get experimental. Don your Masterchef apron and get working on the mystery box, because we have some funky combinations in store along with an exclusive recipe by Chef Mitali from The Bombaykery that’ll make your world a sweeter place! #DSSCRecommends taking these beloved berries to new heights with these must-try quirky recipes!

The Bombaykery Strawberry Shortcake

When our beloved bakery gives us a quirky recipe, we follow it. The results are well-worth the effort, so go try your hand at it and we assure you will love it as much as we do!

Prep Time: 40 minutes + 2 hours refrigeration & 30 minutes baking

Caters To: 4 gobblers

Challenge Level: Intermediate

From The Pantry:

Shortcakes –

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons castor sugar
• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 3/4 cup water
• Coarse sugar, for sprinkling

For the strawberries –

• 2 boxes fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 vanilla bean

For the whipped cream –

• 1 cup whipping cream, chilled
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean

Cook Away:

Shortcakes –

1. Cut the butter into small cubes and chill in the refrigerator.
2. In a bowl whisk together yogurt & water to make smooth buttermilk. Keep 3/4 cup of the prepared buttermilk in the freezer to chill (later using to prepare shortcakes) and reserve 1/4 cup to brush on the shortcakes.
3. In a large bowl combine together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sugar. Add the cubed butter and crumble it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips. Work it till the mixture resembles a little like breadcrumbs. Add the chilled 3/4 cup of buttermilk and continue to work the dough until the mixture starts to come together. You do not need to knead the dough, simply mix with your fingertips till the dough looks like a shaggy mixture. Then use your hands to gather the dough into a ball. Flatten the dough into an inch thick disk and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with butter paper.
5. Once chilled, open the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut the dough into rounds with a 2 or 3-inch round cutter. Place rounds on the baking tray. Brush with the reserved buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
6. Bake the short cakes for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow them to cool till room temperature and store in an airtight container.

Roasted Balsamic Strawberries –

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line a baking tray with foil and pat with oil.
2. Split the vanilla bean vertically into half and scrape out the vanilla beans.
3. Toss the sliced strawberries with sugar, balsamic vinegar and vanilla beans in a bowl. Spread the strawberries out evenly on the lined baking tray. Bake until the juices have thickened, but before it burns. It should take approximately 15-20 minutes.
4. Transfer the strawberries and juices to a bowl and chill. Store in the refrigerator.

For the whipped cream –

• In a bowl scrape vanilla bean and add whipping cream along with powdered sugar. Beat with an electric eggbeater until soft peaks form.

Assembly –

• Slice the shortcakes into half. In a plate, place the bottom half. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, followed by roasted strawberries. Cover with the top half shortcake. To finish, get creative and use piping bags & tips to make a little swirl and top with some more strawberry and a sprig of mint.

Go ahead and gorge!

Roasted Strawberry Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese means things just got serious (we don’t joke about cheese, unless we feeling particularly blue). The gooey cheese threading apart between bread slices, loaded with strawberries and avocados; it’s irresistible. Roasting the strawberries and loading them up with balsamic vinegar is what we call amping it up a notch. This strawberry grilled cheese might just get you addicted, so consider yourself warned.

Recipe here.

Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

Strawberry and basil make for a beautiful combination. The freshness from this Italian herb combines with the fruity sweetness from strawberries to create an explosion in your mouth. Now, before you start on about how it’s too cold to be having ice cream, let us remind you that ice creams taste the best on cold nights; so let’s churn out an ice cream that reminds everyone how gorgeous these berries are and put your winter worries on the back burner!

Recipe here.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon & Strawberry Salsa

Using strawberries for savoury dishes might sound weird but they actually pair beautifully with salmon and balsamic. Don’t believe us? Give it a try and see for yourself. Balsamic and strawberries is a match made in heaven and many chefs will swear by it, introducing salmon between the pair is our 2017 food breakthrough. The rich texture pairs well with the sweetness from strawberries and tartness from balsamic, hence making this #DSSCVerified.

Recipe here.

Strawberry Lemonade Icebox Pie

Strawberry lemonade is a refreshing drink that can be enjoyed all round the year and if like us you delight in the combination of sweet strawberries, tangy lemons and love to get a biteful, this is the pie to make! The strong waft of caramelising crust contrasting with citrus aroma fills the kitchen, making the prep double as fun. Vibrant and delicious, your guests will be swooning over it for years all the while raving about your kitchen skills.

Recipe here.

Strawberry Red Wine Granita

Granita is the perfect way to use all the leftover red wine from last night’s party and the strawberries you hauled for it (we know everyone was too busy chugging to appreciate your fruit platter). Effortless and delicious, it is what you need to de-stress; forking through ice is oddly relaxing. So no need to w(h)ine because our foolproof granita recipe has got your back, to get you out of this jam!

Recipe here.

So, which recipe are you trying with our stunning desi strawberries this season?

Featured Image Courtesy: lifehack.org