What kind of fruit salads or desserts do you make for summer get togethers?

Orchid, I would make all the parts the day before...

and assemble before serving. The crust won't get soggy that way and the glaze won't dry out and get a "matte" finish. You want it fresh and glistening for great effect. You can even have the berries washed and dried and assembly shouldn't take longer than a couple minutes.

 
Thanks Richard, that's exactly where I'm at. I'll just put it together tomorrow afternoon. Thanks!

 
This is the one I am leaning towards, mostly because I am not a huge

fruit dessert person, and this one is calling my name. Thank you all for you recipes and I have saved them all.

 
Not much of a fruit salad fan. I do the tarts that Richard described with pastry cream & raspberries

and LOTS of them. I think maybe 40 at a time. As well, I like the Rhubarb Ginger Cheesecake that I posted a few weeks ago.

 
Ditto, ditto and DITTO!! That's how we always had strawberry short'cake' growing up smileys/smile.gif

 
Thanks everyone! With the group that is coming I really think that Richard's

tarts would go ever great. I will work from that idea and I want to thank you all. Your recipes have been saved for future reference. Thanks again!

 
No recipe really. Just make your favorite pie pastry (a slightly sweet one is good)

and rather than putting in a pie tin, just roll it out any old way and put on a cookie sheet and bake. When cool layer berries, whipped cream and pastry that has been broken into largish pieces in a pretty bowl.

 
BTW, I do mine with press-in-pan pastry using removable-bottom pans. It's very easy

that way and they look just like the French version. I'm lazy when it comes to pastry. I just do a regular tarte brisee and press into pans, then cool before blind baking. When baked and cooled, I put in the pastry cream, top with raspberries and bake for about 10 minutes. That seems to heighten the flavour of the raspberries perfectly.

H has been watching the raspberry bushes silently, but I know what's in the back of his mind.

 
dianncy... I'm not Melissa, but here is my favorite pie crust and how I do the strawberries...

Easiest Ever Mix Crust (neverfail!)
Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Makes two 9” crusts

1-3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)
1/4 cup cold water

In small mixer bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add shortening and beat with an electric mixer on low speed till ces are the size of small peas (about 15-20 seconds). Add water all at once; beat on low speed just till moistened (10-15 seconds). Form dough into a ball then divide in two. Roll as usual.

Note: if making it for strawberry shortcake, you can roll it all out flat, poke around with a fork, and bake on a cookie sheet about 12 min at 425 or until golden. Cool then break into big chunks and put into serving bowls. Top with macerated strawberries and whipped cream.


This is how I do my strawberries... wash, top and slice your strawberries into a bowl. For about every 2 cups of strawberries I add about 3 tbl. white sugar and 2 tbl. brown sugar, dash of salt, 1/2 tsp. vanilla. If I have a little sweet dessert wine around, I'll add 1 or 2 tbl. of that, too. Stir to mix well then let sit about 30 min.

 
Lemon Polenta Cake topped with cream and fresh berries

Lemon Polenta Cake

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup polenta
6 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1/4 teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time. Sift flour, baking powder and salt over butter and mix. Stir in polenta, lemon zest and lemon extract. Bake in a 9 inch cake pan for 40 min. Serve with fresh cream and berries.

 
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