Summer Fruits And Berries With Southern Cream Recipes

BERRIES AND CREAM

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine berries, lemon zest and sugar. Gently toss, being careful not to break the blackberries and raspberries too much.
• Allow berry mixture to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes until berries begin to create their own juice, and sugar is dissolved.
• Serve in four small serving bowls (or dessert bowls) with around 2 tbs. cream drizzled attop per bowl.

MIXED SUMMER FRUIT WITH HONEY CREAM

Steps:

• Whisk sour cream and honey in medium bowl to blend. Toss fruit together in large bowl. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover sauce and fruit separately and chill.)
• Spoon fruit mixture into individual bowls. Whisk chilled sauce to loosen if necessary. Spoon sauce over fruit. Garnish with almonds and mint, if desired.

SUMMER FRUIT PAVLOVA

Steps:

• If you're using fresh eggs and you have time, freeze the egg whites, then defrost completely (see tip, 'freeze for ease', below). Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment and heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Using a 20cm cake tin or plate as a guide, draw a circle on the parchment, then flip it over.
• Rub the reserved lemon half around the inside of a large bowl. Tip in the egg whites and whisk using an electric whisk until small, foamy bubbles form, about 1-2 mins. Continue to whisk until the egg whites resemble shaving foam, then add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue is thick and glossy. Rub a dab between your fingertips - if you can feel any grains of sugar, keep whisking for a few minutes more. Add the cornflour and lemon juice, then whisk for another 30 seconds.
• Spoon the meringue mix into the middle of the circle template, then use a palette knife to spread it out to fill the circle, creating a dip in the middle (this will hold the topping later). Run the palette knife up the edges at regular intervals to create ridges, if you like. Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the oven and leave the pavlova to cool completely with the door shut (if you can, leave it overnight).
• For the topping, tip the strawberries into a bowl, dust with the icing sugar and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Mix together and leave to stand for 30 mins. Meanwhile, whisk the ingredients for the cream together until thick and pillowy. Gently stir the raspberries and redcurrants, if using, through the strawberries. Spoon the cream into the middle of the pavlova, then top with the fruit, drizzling over any juice. Scatter over the mint or basil before serving.

SUMMER FRUITS AND BERRIES WITH SOUTHERN CREAM

Steps:

• Mix half and half, gelatin, and sugar.
• Heat in a double boiler, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
• Remove from heat and fold in sour cream and vanilla.
• Pour into stainless steel bowl and chill in an ice bath until mixture thickens.
• Store in refrigerator.
• Serve a dollop on top of individual dishes of any combination of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, and peaches.