As I have mentioned before, we are in the middle of strawberry season here in Florida. This past Saturday, a friend and I took the boys up to Palm City to go strawberry picking for some Valentine's Day fun. Sometimes, I forget what ripe, freshly picked strawberries are supposed to taste like. Pure sweetness that brings me back to the times we used to pick strawberries from my grandparents' farm.
It's amazing to watch boys at play, digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, looking for bugs. I have never been particularly physical and have always been very tidy, clean and organized, so I am now discovering a new side of me thanks to my little boy. It took several good scrubbings to get those hands, feet and faces clean.
We picked two large baskets of strawberries, which is definitely more than what we can consume in a couple of days. We shared some with neighbors, froze some for later consumption and I have been baking away with the rest. I am also planning on making some more strawberry pate de fruit, strawberry sorbet, strawberry shortcakes and strawberry jam, which I will share with you later.
Here is one of C's favorite desserts, which is yogurt panna cotta with layers of strawberry mousse and strawberry gelee topped with meringue sticks. And then one of my favorites, which is an apple and strawberry galette. I know I said we really don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but maybe I lied... just a little. Hope you had a great weekend too!
Yogurt Panna Cotta
I used homemade yogurt for this, which is a bit thinner than commercial yogurt. You can also use buttermilk or creme fraiche. The bit of acidity is really nice.
200 grams heavy cream
45 grams sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 grams sheet gelatin
100 grams plain yogurt
In a small saucepan, cook the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla bean until it comes to a boil. In the meantime, soak the gelatin in ice water. When the cream has come to a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the softened gelatin. Whisk to dissolve it. Pour this into a clean bowl and let it cool to about body temperature. Add the yogurt and whisk well.
Pour the panna cotta into your molds or jars and let it set in the refrigerator.
Strawberry Mousse
100 grams strawberry puree
10 grams sugar
2 grams sheet gelatin
75 grams heavy cream, soft peaks
Warm half of the strawberry puree with the sugar. In the meantime, soak the sheet gelatin in ice water. Add the softened gelatin to the warm strawberry puree. Add the rest of the puree and let it cool.
Fold in the whipped cream into the puree base. Pour this mousse on top of the yogurt panna cotta and let it set in the refrigerator.
Strawberry Gelee
150 grams strawberry puree
30 grams sugar
2 gram sheet gelatin
Warm half of the strawberry puree with the sugar. In the meantime, soak the sheet gelatin in ice water. Add the softened gelatin to the warm strawberry puree. Add the rest of the puree and let it cool.
Pour this gelee on top of the strawberry mousse and let it set in the refrigerator.
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→Strawberry Picking
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