Strawberry-Peach Crisp with Hazelnut-Pepita Crumble

This gluten-free strawberry-peach crisp is lightly sweetened with maple syrup 

and topped with a rich crumble made with hazelnut flour and pumpkin seeds.

Hello from Chattanooga, our new home! Ben and I packed everything up and drove from Boston to Tennessee across two days, arriving last night a little after midnight. I'm in love with my new city, which is Ben's hometown, already. So far we've driven around a bit looking at houses, and had amazing burgers at Main Street Meats (see my bunless burger on Insta!). We're also dogsitting for Ben's sister, so I get to spend time with this guy.

I spent a while editing the photos of this fabulous strawberry-peach crisp with hazelnut-pepita crumble today. The photographs make me a little sad, because this was the last photo shoot I did in our apartment in Boston, where I've taken all the photos for the blog so far and all the photos for my cookbook, Paleo Planet. I hope our next apartment has light that I like just as much!

Anyway, enough wistful reminiscing about the natural light at my old apartment. We're talking crisp today! I had some good-looking strawberries and peaches, but wanted to do more than just eat them. In part because I was trying to avoid packing, I decided to bake. (Yes, when I'm feeling stressed, I avoid whatever I'm worried about and bake instead. No, my fiancé has never complained!)

I put the freshly cut fruit right into the greased baking dish and added a little maple syrup, a tiny bit of tapioca flour to keep the juices under control, and a pinch of salt and the seeds of half a vanilla bean to bring out the natural sweetness of the fruit. I mixed it all together right in the dish to avoid having to wash an extra bowl. (I did have to wash the bowl I made the crumble in, but that's it for this recipe: one bowl + the baking dish).

Rainbow Salad with Grilled Chicken and Raspberry Walnut Dressing #30MinuteMondays

All the colors of the rainbow are represented in this quick paleo salad with a creamy, dairy-free raspberry walnut dressing.

I've been wanting to make a rainbow salad for a while now, but this seemed like an especially opportune moment. Summer produce is everywhere in all its resplendent hues, and more Americans are able to get married than ever before. Let's celebrate with this salad!

This healthy salad has pretty much all the colors of the rainbow (if you kind of merge indigo and violet together) plus pink. Pink is my favorite color and it's not really fair that it's not a part of the official rainbow, so I made sure it was included by making a nice pink dressing. Despite how creamy it looks, the dressing is dairy-free--the creaminess comes from the walnuts and shallots, and the color is thanks to the raspberries. It's inspired by the creamy shallot dressing from my pan-seared chicken, orange, and walnut salad, but this one's even better because it's pink.

Mocha Ricotta Pie with Strawberries

This pie is one of my absolute favorite desserts. It's in my top three of all time, right up there with almond butter thumbprints and salted caramel brownies.

What makes it so fabulous is the trifecta of a lightly sweetened, crunchy shortbread crust, a rich and creamy ricotta filling with chocolate, coffee, and a hint of lemon (yes, lemon!), and a topping of juicy strawberries. It reminds me of the amazing Southern-style chocolate pie I always used to eat at the now-defunct Marimont Cafeteria in Austin, Texas, but with a mature Italian twist and bright berries to lighten things up.

Really good dark chocolate and high quality, full-fat ricotta are important for this pie. (Good coffee won't hurt either, but I love my Café Bustelo.) I was so excited about having a tub of Narragansett Creamery ricotta in my fridge that I proceeded to completely forget I'd bought it to make zucchini lasagna, and dumped all of it into the filling for this pie.

Golden Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

How were your Easter and/or Passover celebrations? Ben and I had a few people over on Saturday and then went to another Easter dinner on Sunday. I won a pork crown roast from Snake River Farms over at Rhubarbarians, and it was pretty great. I also made this cake--we enjoyed one of the layers on Saturday, and brought the other one, pictured here, to the party on Sunday.

So, yes, I've been sitting on this cake recipe for an entire week. I apologize! I had one of those very busy weeks that I should have seen coming, but instead somehow managed to take me completely by surprise. Am I the only one that happens to? Between papers and evaluation reports and trying to get at least a little shuteye, it took me all week just to edit these photos.

Matcha Mug Cake

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I made you a matcha mug cake. It's not at all Irish, but at least it's green!

I was excited to make something green for St. Patty's Day, but I don't like to use artificial coloring in my food. Since I had my heart set on making a dessert, using spinach or kale as coloring agents didn't seem very appealing. Matcha was the perfect solution.

If you haven't discovered matcha yet, I highly recommend it! It's just very finely ground green tea leaves, so it has a bit of caffeine and all the great antioxidants contained in green tea. The flavor is hard to describe, but it's exotic and a bit earthy. Matcha is delicious on its own in desserts, but also pairs well with chocolate. I've made these mug cakes with and without chocolate chips and still can't decide which one I prefer.

Pico de gallo de frutas

After I graduated from college, I moved to Houston and became a bilingual teacher.  I had the most amazing group of students, and was lucky enough to be their teacher for three years in a row: kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.  We spoke Spanish almost all day, except for an hour or so of ESL.  Their kindergarten year was my first year of teaching, as well as my first year living far away from home.  While those things made it a difficult year for me, my kids and their families were absolutely fabulous.  A lot of people may say this, but I truly think I could not have asked for a better group of students.  They worked as a team almost from the beginning--embracing me, each other, and all the new students that trickled in (and sometimes out, and sometimes back again) over the course of our three years together.  They were unbelievably kind, patient, tolerant, bright, and hilarious.

At the end of three years, I had learned a huge amount of Spanish (I had thought I was fluent before taking the job, but the Spanish spoken in Texas is so different from what I'd practiced while studying abroad in Argentina that I had to learn new words for much of what I wanted to say).  Most of them had learned a huge amount of English, and had learned to read in both languages.  I had also learned so much about teaching, about children and families, and about life.  I know that sounds very expansive, but it was a foundational experience for me, and I think of those kids and their families almost everyday.  Shockingly (to me, because it makes me feel so old), they're in middle school now, and I'm happy to still be in touch with several of them.

Strawberry Banana Pancakes

The almond flour pancakes I made a few days ago were so good that I was eager to try another version of paleo pancakes.  This time, I was inspired by a cinnamon banana pancake recipe in Easy Paleo Diet Recipes, and added a twist to make them even better.

Do you have a favorite diner?  Mine is the Maugus, which is just down the street from my mom's apartment in my hometown.  It's run by a big Greek family, and the hardest part of being a regular there is when they close for three weeks every summer to go to Greece.  They are closed right now and I have to tell you, it has been rough.  One of my favorite things to get there is pancakes--their pancakes are HUGE!  I'm a big fan of both the strawberry and the banana pancakes.  They have nice rounds of freshly sliced fruit cooked right in.  They will even make you pancakes with both strawberries AND bananas if you can't decide.  And, if you are not into fruity pancakes (who are you and why are you still reading?) you can get chocolate chip pancakes or cinnamon walnut french toast.

Anyway, inspired by the Maugus, I put sliced strawberries into these banana pancakes.  The banana is mashed up with the batter so the pancakes do not have a strong banana flavor, but they are pleasantly reminiscent of banana bread.  And if you have never tried sliced strawberries in your pancakes, you HAVE to.  They are cooked just to the point of being fabulously juicy, and it is much more exciting than just putting sliced strawberries on top of your pancakes.  Trust me.

Since I am doing the Whole 30 for real now, I omitted the honey from the original recipe.  However, with the bananas and the strawberries, I thought these pancakes were sweet enough.  I ate mine with the extra banana and strawberry slices on top and a little butter, and my boyfriend enjoyed his with some syrup.

Ingredients (serves 2; makes 6-7 pancakes):

1 and 1/2 cups almond flour
1/3 cup mashed banana (about half a medium banana--slice the rest to serve with the pancakes)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons coconut milk
4 eggs
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, thinly sliced, plus extra for serving
Butter or coconut oil for cooking

Combine all the ingredients except the strawberries in a food processor and process until smooth.  Heat some oil or butter in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat.  When the skillet is hot (a drop of water will dance across the surface), add about 1/4 cup of batter.  Place some strawberry slices on top.  Cook until many bubbles have formed on the surface (the bottom should be browned).  Carefully slide a large spatula under the pancake and flip it quickly.  If you flip these pancakes too soon or use a small spatula, you may lose some of your strawberries during the turn.  Cook for a minute or less on the second side, until browned and cooked through.  Add more oil or butter before cooking a second pancake.  Top with fresh fruit and butter if desired and serve hot.

Strawberry Ice Cream (Paleo, Vegan)

Okay guys, so technically when you go paleo, you are supposed to be really hard core for 30 days.  You are not just supposed to jump into making a million and one paleo desserts.  You are not supposed to have any desserts at all for that first month.  But, BUT...I just had to make one last dessert.  It's what I do.  And it's really good.  You'll understand when you taste it!

This ice cream is made with coconut milk and sweetened with honey (or maple syrup or agave for a vegan version).  The strawberry syrup has a little balsamic vinegar in it, just to deepen the flavor.  Don't worry, you won't taste it.  You can hardly even taste the honey and coconut--this is mainly just strawberries and cream flavored.  It's fabulous, and there's nothing bad or unnatural in it.

Ingredients (makes about a quart):

For the strawberry syrup:

2 cups fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon honey, agave, or maple syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 scant tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt

For the ice cream base:

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1/2 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla

To make the strawberry syrup, hull and halve the strawberries.  Place them in a saucepan over medium heat with the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring often, until the strawberries have softened and are starting to break up (about 10 minutes).  Cool slightly, then transfer to a food processor.  Blend until smooth, and strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds, pressing on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard pulp and refrigerate syrup until cold.

To make the ice cream, whisk together all the ice cream base ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.  Whisk in the cold strawberry syrup, taste, and adjust the sweetness as desired.  Refrigerate until chilled, and freeze according to your ice cream maker's instructions.  Store in an airtight container in the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.

You might also like:

Lemon Coconut Vegan Ice Cream in a Cinnamon Sugar Bowl

Double Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Shortcakes with Balsamic Chocolate Glaze

Fresh Mozzarella & Strawberry Grilled Cheese

Have you had any strawberries lately?  The ones I've been getting are so good that I couldn't resist putting them in my grilled cheese!  You have to try this.

This sandwich is inspired by a salad I made last week that got eaten before it could be photographed.  It was a strawberry spin on caprese salad, without the tomatoes, because I just can't stomach raw tomatoes.  Anyway, the salad had strawberries and little balls of fresh mozzarella, a balsamic drizzle, and some julienned basil on top.  It was delicious.

Today when I was thinking about lunch, I wondered how the flavors of that salad would do smushed between two slices of butter-kissed bread.  Answer: they do really well.  This recipe is boyfriend-approved, which is great except for the fact that I had to share my sandwich with him.  I recommend you make and eat this in secret, because anyone who tries it is going to want more.

Ingredients (makes 1 sandwich):

2 slices of bread (I used Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain German Wheat)
3-4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
2-3 strawberries, sliced
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt
Butter for cooking

Layer half the cheese on one of the slices of bread.  Top with the strawberries and drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top.  Top that with the remaining cheese, a sprinkle of salt, and the other piece of bread.

Heat some butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook the sandwich, flipping halfway through, until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese is melted to your liking.  Serve hot.

Double Strawberry Ice Cream

You may have noticed I am on a bit of a strawberry kick recently (see no-bake strawberry swirl cheesecake bars, strawberry shortcakes with balsamic chocolate glaze, strawberry & cream margaritas, and strawberry curd).  Well, the strawberry love continues.  This is partly because I still have a jar of strawberry curd in my fridge, and am tempted to add it to just about anything.  However, if you don't feel like making strawberry curd (but really, why wouldn't you?  twenty minutes and your strawberries will last for weeks in the fridge in a delicious, spreadable form) you can still make this ice cream.  Just omit the strawberry curd for single strawberry ice cream, or replace it with an equal amount of fresh strawberry puree.



This ice cream is rich and creamy thanks to the vanilla bean, strawberry curd, and custard base.  You have to try it!  It's also a wonderfully pastel shade of pink, my favorite color.



Ingredients (makes 1 1/2 quarts, adapted from Martha Stewart):

8 egg yolks (save the whites for breakfast or meringues)
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 cups milk (I used 2%, but Martha calls for skim)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean
1 pound strawberries, hulled and finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup strawberry curd or fresh strawberry puree

In a saucepan (off the heat for now), combine the egg yolks, 2/3 cup of sugar, and salt.  Gradually whisk in the milk.  Scrape the seeds of half a vanilla bean into the mix, and throw the bean in, too.

Heat the mixture over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until thickened, about 10-15 minutes.

Prepare a bowl set oven an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice or ice water).  Place a fine-meshed sieve on top.  Pour the thickened custard through the sieve, discarding the vanilla bean.  Stir in the cream and strawberry curd.  Let the mixture chill, stirring occasionally.  When the mixture is cold, I recommend you refrigerate it overnight to make sure it's REALLY chilled.

Mix the chopped strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and set aside.

When the custard mixture is completely chilled, freeze in your ice cream maker.  A few minutes before the ice cream is ready, add in the strawberries.

Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

You can also sandwich some of this between two honey vanilla cookies for the world's best ice cream sandwich!

No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

So, the other day I had a brilliant idea:  I put a big dollop of strawberry curd on top of some plain Greek yogurt.  It tasted amazing.  It didn't even taste like strawberry yogurt; it tasted like strawberry CHEESECAKE.  What?!?

It was clear that this idea needed to be explored.  However, due to feeling a bit lazy, I decided to explore without turning on the oven.  Thus, these strawberry swirl cheesecake bars were born.

(At the last minute, I added chocolate ganache to the top.  I didn't put it in the name because No-Bake Strawberry Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake Bars seemed like to much of a mouthful.  The chocolate definitely adds to the appeal, but its flavor doesn't overwhelm the strawberry.)

If you are into frozen cheesecake, you can totally freeze these.  After multiple taste tests, I decided I have a slight preference for the non-frozen, but well-chilled, variety.

Ingredients (makes 12-16 bars):

For the crust:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup powdered sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

8 ounces Neufchatel cheese (or use cream cheese)
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used full-fat, but 2% or 0% would probably work)
Seeds from half a vanilla bean
2/3 cup powdered sugar

For the topping:

1/3 cup strawberry curd
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon milk or cream

To make the crust, grind the pecans in a food processor until finely chopped.  Mix with the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.  Add the melted butter and stir to combine.  Press the crust into an even layer in the bottom of an 8 x 8 pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.  Beat on high speed until smooth.  Dollop the filling on top of the crust and smooth into an even layer with a spatula.

To make the chocolate ganache, melt the chocolate with the oil and milk and stir until smooth (you can microwave it in 20 second intervals).

Dollop the strawberry curd and chocolate ganache on top of the filling.  Using a knife, swirl the toppings into the filling.

Refrigerate or freeze for at least an hour, then cut into squares and serve.

Strawberry Curd

Have you made lemon curd yet?  Either way, you're going to love this sweeter, pinker version.  I'm thinking you could put this on a dutch baby, pipe it inside some cupcakes, spread it on your toast, or drizzle it on some vanilla ice cream.

It's easy to make, and tastes like spring in a jar!  What are you waiting for?

In case you're not convinced, here are just a few delicious recipes you'll be able to make with your strawberry curd:

No-Bake Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars

Double Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Creamsicle Sherbet 

Rest assured that it's also fabulous just eaten by the spoonful.

Ingredients (adapted from this recipe on Lavender & Lovage; makes about 1 1/2 cups):

1/2 pound organic strawberries, hulled
Zest and juice of one organic orange
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), cubed
4 large eggs

In a food processor, puree the strawberries and orange zest until very smooth.



Heat water to a simmer in a double boiler or a saucepan.  In the top of the double boiler or a heatproof bowl, combine the puree, juices, salt, sugar, and butter.  Place the bowl on top of the pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn't actually touching the water.  Beat the eggs and add them to the bowl.  Cook, whisking constantly, until the curd comes together and thickens, about ten minutes.  When the curd is done, it will coat the back of a spoon.

(Full disclosure: my strawberry curd was that grayish-pink color that used to be trendy but was never appetizing.  I added a few drops of red food coloring and one drop of yellow to perk it up.)

Store in sterilized jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Strawberry Shortcakes with Balsamic Chocolate Glaze

A while ago, I asked what recipes my friends wanted to see on the blog, and my friend Eva suggested strawberry shortcakes.  I didn't get to it right away, but had been working on it in the back of my mind. I wanted to make strawberry shortcakes, but I wanted to kick them up a notch.  So I asked myself: what's normally missing from strawberry shortcakes?

Drumroll . . . chocolate!  (And balsamic vinegar, obvi.)  I'd been wanting to try a balsamic chocolate syrup ever since a friend of mine brought chocolate balsamic vinegar and a quart of vanilla ice cream to a Valentine's party I hosted years ago.  So, here it is!  Strawberry shortcakes enhanced with a tangy balsamic chocolate glaze.  If the glaze weirds you out or you want a more classic dessert, you can make them without.  But, I suggest you give chocolate balsamic a chance!

This recipe looks a little complex, and it does have a lot of components.  But, the strawberries and balsamic chocolate glaze can be made the day before and stored in the fridge.  Bring the strawberries back to room temperature while you make the biscuits, and reheat the glaze until it's pourable.  The shortcakes are easy and bake up fast, and the whipped cream is ready in no time.



A word about these shortcakes: they are really good!  I am already getting excited about having the leftover ones for breakfast with a little butter and jam.  Normally I don't trust baked goods from Cooking Light, but was won over by the brown sugar and nuts in this recipe.  The shortcakes aren't nutty, but the pecans and brown sugar give them a rich flavor and they aren't overly sweet.



Also, this is what I'm bringing to this month's virtual chocolate party hosted by Roxana's Home Baking!  Check out what everyone else is bringing here.

Ingredients (serves 6; you'll have 6 extra shortcakes):

1 pound organic strawberries, trimmed and sliced
2 teaspoons sugar

For the shortcakes (adapted from Cooking Light):

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup toasted pecans (or almonds), finely chopped
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
5 1/2 tablespoons very cold butter (1/3 cup)
3/4 cup milk (I used 2%) or buttermilk
Extra flour for rolling
Sugar for sprinkling

For the balsamic chocolate glaze:

1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
1/2 vanilla bean
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Pinch of salt

For the whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream, or coconut cream scraped from the top of one can of chilled coconut milk
1 vanilla bean
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Toss the strawberries to coat with the sugar and set aside.

To make the glaze, place the vinegar in a small saucepan, and add the seeds from half a vanilla bean.  Cook over medium heat until the vinegar starts to boil, then reduce the heat to low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar is thickened and reduced by half, about 40 minutes.  Add the sugar and the chocolate to the saucepan and stir until smooth.

To make the shortcakes, preheat the oven to 450 and combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl.  Grate in the butter with a cheese grater (this is why you need it really cold!).  Mix with your fingers until the mixture is uniform and resembles coarse sand.  Add the milk or buttermilk and mix just until combined.  On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough lightly five times.  Pat it out until it's about half an inch thick, and use a biscuit cutter or something else round--I used a small jar--to cut out circles about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  Place the shortcakes on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with a little sugar.  Bake for about ten minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

To make the whipped cream, add the vanilla bean seeds to the cream in a large bowl.  Beat on high until soft peaks form, then sift in the powdered sugar and beat again until stiff peaks form.

To serve, cut each shortcake in half and top with strawberries.  Drizzle with balsamic chocolate glaze, and top with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Strawberry & Cream Margaritas

You didn't think I was going to leave you without an idea of which margarita to enjoy with your cupcakes, did you?  I am here for you! 

This is delicious.  I am not sure if it really counts as a margarita, but it has tequila in it.  And it has something on the rim (not salt, but who's counting?).

Ingredients (makes two servings):

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup coconut milk

4 ice cubes

2-3 shots silver tequila

Squeeze of lemon or lime juice, plus extra

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tablespoons honey (for a paleo-friendly version) or agave nectar (for a vegan version)

Sugar for glasses

Blend all ingredients except the sugar in a blender until smooth.  Taste, and add more lemon juice or agave nectar (or tequila!) if desired.

Dip the rims of two glasses into lemon juice and then sugar.  Pour into the glasses and enjoy!

¡Salud!

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Cupcakes

My first graders have a jar of dinosaurs as part of our classroom incentive system.  Every time the whole class does something good, like cleaning up by the end of the clean-up song (it's not a special song, usually just something by Michael Jackson), we put in 10 or 20 dinosaur counters.  When we fill up the jar, we have a big celebration.  The jar holds almost 400 dinosaurs, so it's a really big deal, and today is the day!  Just in time for spring break.  

I like to bring in cupcakes.  Last time, one of my students suggested that we have "Cupcake Wars"--everyone brings in cupcakes, we try them all, and then decide which ones are the best.  Anyway, I said yes because I thought I would be the only one to bring in cupcakes.  Boy, was I wrong!  The next day six kids brought in cupcakes (only one kid brought homemade ones, so I still pretty much won the cupcake war).  There were so many cupcakes that we had to save some for the next day.

This time, I wanted to make something really springy, so I decided to make strawberry cupcakes.  I wanted to go all-out and decorate them with chocolate-covered strawberries.  For the cake itself, I used a version of the quick chocolate cake recipe I used for the chocolate cupcakes I made recently.  But, instead of the water or coffee, I used half water and half strawberry purée.  So, you would need half a cup of strawberry purée for a single recipe of cupcakes.  This recipe would also be delicious with just plain chocolate cake, though.  I omitted the ganache filling, but you can use it if you want.  I frosted them with a recipe based on Martha Stewart's Strawberry Meringue Buttercream.  It was the best part of the whole thing and tasted just like strawberry ice cream in frosted form.  The strawberry purée listed below is used in both the cupcakes and the frosting.

Strawberry Purée (makes one cup, enough for 12 cupcakes and frosting):

1 cup fresh or defrosted frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Moscato (optional)

If you have time, mix the berries, sugar, and wine and let them sit for a while.  Then, blend all ingredients in a food processor.

Strawberry Meringue Buttercream

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup strawberry purée
• 
  

Put the egg whites and sugar in a very clean heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler.  Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and heat, whisking constantly, until it reaches 150 degrees and is foamy and thickened.  Remove from the heat and beat on high speed until the mixture is cooled to room temperature and holds stiff peaks.

Add the butter a tablespoon at a time and beat until smooth.  Add the vanilla, and fold in the strawberry purée.

To decorate the cupcakes, I cut small strawberries in half through the stem and dipped those.  I didn't want a huge chocolate-covered berry to stick out too far or overwhelm the frosting.  No chocolate sticks on the cut side of the strawberries, but that's okay because that's the bottom anyway.  You might need a toothpick for dipping strawberry halves, because it can be hard to grab onto them without breaking off the green leaves.  Let the strawberries set on a sheet of parchment paper, and transfer them to frosted cupcakes after the chocolate has hardened.

You barely need a recipe for chocolate-covered strawberries, but I'm sharing this anyway in case you're curious about what I did.  They are delicious plain or on top of any sort of cupcake!

Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate (or any kind of chocolate you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound fresh strawberries, at room temperature

Place first three ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and heat using 20-second intervals, stirring between each one, until melted and smooth.  Alternately, you can use your double boiler.

Make sure your berries are washed and totally dry (any moisture on the berries will keep the chocolate from sticking).  Cut in half if desired.  Dip each berry in the chocolate, turning to coat, and then place the berry on parchment or wax paper or in a cupcake cup.  Once all strawberries have been dipped, you can chill them for an hour or so, but don't store them in the refrigerator because the chocolate might get chalky.

What is your favorite way to decorate cupcakes?  What spring cupcakes are you craving right now?
I'm thinking about these raspberry vanilla cupcakes for next time.