I hope you all remember the Strawberry picking trip from my recent Peach Strawberry Galatte post, we had an amazing day at the Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois and came back home with bags full of strawberries. After making a few galattes & smoothies, I still had some strawberries left and with summer around the corner we decided to finish them up in style by making this yummilicious Strawberry Ice Cream. Like any other gal with a sweet tooth, I too love Ice Cream…! And this is the time of the year you can eat it guilt-free. Homemade Ice Creams were always an un-accomplishable dream for me earlier, as we didn’t have a churning machine I thought we couldn’t make one without it. But, the success of my last year’s No-Churn Oreo Ice Cream gave me the confidence to make my summer Ice Cream batch for the year.

I have used graham crackers in this recipe to resemble the textures of a strawberry cheesecake, but the difference here is that I am not using cream cheese. Using graham crackers is purely optional; you can replace it with fresh strawberry slices, pistachios or any nuts. In a no-churn ice cream recipe, the condensed milk provides the sweet base while the whipped cream gives the creamy texture. When blending the strawberries, make sure not to do it too long as we do not want it to puree, instead do it just enough to break down the fruit. And the end result is an Ice Cream which is Creamy and Smooth…!

Make sure to store the ice cream in an airtight container before freezing or wrap the pan air tight. Allow it to stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. This is one of the easiest no–fail fresh fruit desserts which can be prepared in advance for parties and get together.

Enjoy this delicious summer treat…!!!

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No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream

Beat the Summer Heat with this Homemade Cool Treat…! No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream with Crunchy Graham Crackers and Fresh Strawberries… Super, Easy n Delicious…!!!!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword ice cream, no churn, strawberry ice cream

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-5 graham crackers (crushed)

Instructions

• Wash and hull strawberries. Slice into half and blend the strawberries in a blender just enough to break it down, do not puree it.
• Crush the graham crackers and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Fold in condensed milk.
• Line a parchment paper to a standard loaf pan, add half of the whipped cream mix. Pour half of the strawberry sauce evenly as the second layer. Using a toothpick or chopstick, make a swirl (this is purely optional; I love that swirl style on my ice cream while I scoop it). Top with crushed graham cracker bits.
• Repeat the process by pouring the other half of the whipped cream mix, strawberry sauce and graham crackers.
• Wrap it tightly and freeze for at least 6 hrs.
• For best results, let it stand in room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

The post No-Churn Strawberry Ice Cream appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Strawberries, Apples or Peaches; be it any fruit season and that calls for a day to bake your delicious desserts! This is my first time preparing a galette even though I have baked pies before. Yeah I know what you might be thinking; unlike other newbie bakers, I went from complex to easy! Anyways, my first galette turned out to be awesome…

So what made me do a galette? It all started with my friend’s long time desire to go for a strawberry picking festival and every year she kept on missing it as the picking season is usually for a short span. But this time she kept on tracking the dates and finally was able to plan it out. Although my hubby is not so keen into these events, he surprisingly agreed this time to come along. We all visited Eckerts Belleville Farm, Illinois which was actually a nice drive, giving us a chance to go past St. Louis, the east of it, across Missouri all the way up to Illinois. The farm is vast & beautiful with many varieties of fruits and vegetables being cultivated, including peaches, apples, blackberries, tomatoes and many more. On the day we visited, they had a fair going on with lots of fun activities & kids rides. Also the food at their restaurant and deli were fresh & delicious. We really enjoyed our time there picking strawberries, taking pictures and left back home with bags full of strawberries. If you are in the St. Louis area, check out Eckerts Farms to spend a fun filled day!

I guess this happens to everybody and not only me; whenever I go for any picking I bring back a lot without realizing how much I really need, and then it’s a struggle to finish them. But on the good side, that gears me up to explore a bunch of recipes to finish the fruit in every possible way, be it a cobbler, smoothie, pie, strudel… or even an ice cream!! But I would still end up having leftovers which I finally freeze; I don’t want to see the same fruit thereafter for the next few months, Lol!!

So coming back to my recipe for the day, this galette is so easy to prepare and is nothing when compared to other baked desserts. I have used strawberries and peaches; their sour and sweet flavours complement each other and taste great when combined together. The crust is buttery flaky and its sweet with the fruits, tastes best if served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also try this recipe with other summer fruits of your choice, like Berries, Peach, Apple, Rhubarb, etc, they all make a wonderful Galette.

Enjoy, Happy Cooking!!!

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Peach Strawberry Galette

Buttery Crusted Peach Strawberry Galette… A Quick & Easy Peasy Summer Dessert...!! Serve with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, YUMM… 

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword galatte, strawberry, summer

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Akhila

Ingredients

For the crust

• 1¼ cup flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 stick of cold butter (cubed)
• 4 tbsp ice cold water

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• 2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced into half)
• 2 peaches (peeled, pitted and sliced)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp flour

For decoration

• 1 egg (beaten)
• Granulated sugar (to sprinkle)

Instructions

For the crust

• Combine flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse until it mixes well. Add the cubed cold butter, pulse until it looks like a coarse meal with some crumbles. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp ice cold water at a time and pulse until the dough comes together.
• Transfer it into a work surface; gently knead the dough to make a ball. Flatten it into a small disk shaped size, wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs (or up to 3 days).

For the Peach Strawberry filling

• Combine peaches, strawberries, sugar, vanilla extract and flour in a medium sized bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes.

For assembling the Galette

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
• Place the cold dough between two parchment sheet papers. This helps to roll the dough neatly and it prevents sticking to the bottom. Roll the dough between the papers into a 12 inch circle, trim the edges if necessary to form a circular shape. Remove the top sheet and carefully transfer the dough along with its bottom sheet to a baking tray.
• Spoon the fruit mix on to the center of the dough leaving a 2 inch gap around the border. Drizzle 1-2 tbsp fruit juices from the mix (do not add more as it makes the dough soggy).
• Fold the edges over the fruit mix, pleating it as you fold to give a uniform circular shape. Gently press the edges to seal.
• For decoration and giving the final baked galette a golden crust, brush the beaten eggs on the outer crust and sprinkle sugar.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and the fruit mix starts to bubble up.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

The post Peach Strawberry Galette appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Chia seeds are an excellent source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and a perfect ingredient to your smoothies. It is super healthy, has a high nutrient content, and is low in calories. The seeds alone taste weird but you can eat it raw, or can be easily incorporated in any smoothies, drinks, puddings, or even as a topping. Being hydrophilic it plumps up when soaked in any liquid, giving it a soft/gel texture which adds a whole new perspective to your drink.

I love the combination of banana and strawberries, the perfect balance of sweet & sour, and adding a little milk is also good and makes it richer. Another wonderful ingredient which works magic to your drink, is an ideal sugar replacement, and is healthy with its anti-inflammatory properties… is Honey.
My kitchen adventures are all about trying different combinations and creating new ones. So try out with the different fruits in your pantry, you could even add them as toppings to your drinks. But trust me, this smoothie tastes so yum and you will keep on coming back for it.

Stay Healthy and Enjoy…!

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Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1 tbsp honey
• ¼ cup milk
• Toppings: Blackberry, Chia seeds, Banana, Strawberry

INSTRUCTIONS

• Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
• Serve in a bowl with toppings.

The post Strawberry Banana Chia Smoothie Bowl appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Its berry season and a wonderful time to bake delicious desserts with these colorful fruits which are a pleasure to your eyes and taste. A cobbler to me is the right start… Cake crust with fruits; Yummm, my favorite kind of dessert!

I had previously uploaded a Peach cobbler recipe, but this is a different preparation as the berries are naturally sweet.

Another twist I have tried to introduce is replacing flour with wheat flour, which results in a denser dish… perfect for a quick filling.

This whole wheat berry cobbler is the right combination of sweet and sour flavour. You can either use a mix of different berries or even pick just one, whichever suits your choice and taste. The berry mix on the base is crusted with a cake mix and sprinkled with sugar on top… overall… Delicious…!!!

And to serve, make it a combo with Vanilla ice cream… a picture perfect summer dessert …!!!

Prep time: 30 – 45 minutes
Serves: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups mixed berries
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ cup quick cooking oats
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (optional)
• pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Apply some butter on the baking pan and keep aside.
3. Combine berries with lemon juice and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, oats, baking powder and salt. Whisk it by adding melted butter until crumbly. Add milk and stir it to aerate the batter.
5. Spread the berry mix in the pan.
6. By using a large spoon, drop the batter on top of the berries.
7. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
8. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes until the crust become golden brown. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The post Whole Wheat Berry Cobbler appeared first on Pepper Delight.

It’s already pretty warm out here and the summer has just begun, it’s all set to get really hot and what you would really want is a drink to chill…! I love Strawberries, and now being the season with strawberry picking open across the farms in St. Louis, it’s the right time to try out recipes with fresh strawberries. And strawberries with lime… I guess I need not tell you how good they are together…

Also this is my first recipe with basil seeds, which is known for its medicinal value and specially its cooling nature. I love that it plumps up when soaked in water giving it a fleshy texture, and being tasteless in general it’s a wonderful ingredient to make any recipe pulpy without losing the original flavour.

FYI, basil seeds/sabja seeds are not chia seeds which it is always mistaken for. It is widely used in many places during summer for preparing drinks like sharbat as it can cool down your body heat and helps in digestion. You can find these seeds in Asian supermarkets/Indian stores.

Enjoy your summer, enjoy your drink… n Chill……

Prep time: 5-8 minutes
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 6-7 strawberries (pitted and sliced)
• 1 lime (squeezed)
• 2 cup water
• 4-5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp basil seeds (soaked)
• mint leaves (crushed)
• ice cubes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak basil seeds in a little water for 10 minutes allowing it to swell.
2. Leaving a few sliced ones, blend the strawberries well and make a syrupy paste out of it.
3. In a mixing jar, mix the blended and remaining sliced strawberries, lime juice, squeezed lime, sugar, crushed mint leaves, ice cubes, water and basil seeds. Shake well. Adjust sweetness according to your preference.

The post Strawberry Lime Cooler appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This easy five ingredient 30 minute strawberry mousse recipe is the best dessert to celebrate this spring with its refreshing taste.

Recently a friend of mine had asked for an easy recipe with strawberry, and at first a berry cobbler came to my mind. Since I had already posted a peach cobbler recipe here earlier, I thought of trying out something new. And today when I bought this big pack of strawberries, I decided that it’s finally time to post my first Mousse…

This mousse recipe can be made in different ways with varying ingredients like eggs, gelatin, cookie crumbles, etc. Gelatin gives stability to a dessert, but here I have kept it simple n easy without any additives and refrigerated the mousse to make it denser.

To complement the mousse you can add toppings like sliced strawberries for a fleshy texture, or for a crunchy nutty flavour add pistachios, cashews, almonds, pecans or even cookies. A drizzle of chocolate sauce would be perfect to balance the sweet-sourness of strawberries, and of course strawberries dipped in chocolate is a match made in heaven.

Make sure not to over stir after adding strawberry puree to the cream mixture.

This strawberry mousse is:

• Refreshing
• Creamy
• Delicious
• Fruity
• a Spring dessert
• Served in glass
• a 30 minute recipe
• has 5 ingredients
• needs no baking

Prep time: 30 minutes, refrigerate for 1 hr.
Serves: 4-5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups strawberries
• 5-6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cup heavy whipping cream
• chocolate sauce (drizzle)

To decorate

• Pistachio
• Sliced strawberries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Puree the strawberries with 3 tbsp of sugar in a food processor.
2. Beat heavy whipping cream and vanilla essence along with 2 tbsp of sugar using a stand mixer until soft peaks form.
3. Add the pureed strawberries to this mix and beat on low speed. Do not over-mix.
4. Transfer to serving glasses in equal proportions and drizzle chocolate sauce on the top.
5. Decorate with sliced strawberries and pistachio.
6. Refrigerate for an hour if you would like the dessert to be cold and thick.

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