This dessert dish is a tribute to bright red, sweet-tart, oh-so-juicy Strawberries. While having a winter-day-dream about fresh strawberry season here in the Valley, I decided I couldn’t wait for Spring to make this dessert. Like blueberries, strawberries freeze well and retain their flavor if you freeze them to use in sauces, desserts, or for baking. I like a hint of orange flavor with strawberries, so I added a small amount of Triple Sec to the base puree. The resulting dessert is light, bright, and flavorfully creamy without being too sweet. Set aside 1 teaspoon of the processed strawberry, sugar, Triple Sec mixture as a garnish for each dessert being served. Top with a small dollop of Orange Whipped Cream.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 5 1/2 cups frozen strawberries-thawed

• 3 tablespoons Triple Sec, or Cointreau, or strawberry liqueur (I used Triple Sec)

• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin

• 4 ounces cream cheese cut into 8 pieces and softened

• ½ cup heavy cream well chilled

• ½ cup sugar

• pinch of table salt

Preparation:

1. Lightly process thawed strawberries in a food processor and transfer to a bowl

2. Add ¼ cup of sugar and salt and cover the bowl and set aside for 30 minutes

3. Strain the strawberries through a fine mesh strainer into a measuring cup pressing to extract about 2/3 cup of juice

4. Place 3 tablespoons of strawberry juice in a small dish and sprinkle evenly with gelatin

5. Reduce remaining juice in a small saucepan over medium high heat until reduced to about 3 tablespoons (about 10 minutes- monitor and stir occasionally so the reduction doesn’t scorch)

6. While the juice is reducing, add the Triple Sec to the strawberries and process until smooth; strain through a fine strainer pressing on the fruit to separate the puree from any solids or seeds.

7. Add the softened gelatin mixture to the still warm reduction and stir to dissolve the gelatin

8. Add the pieces of softened cream cheese and whisk until dissolved and smooth: transfer to a large bowl.

9. Add the puree to the gelatin-cream cheese mixture and stir well to combine.

10. Whip ½ cup of heavy cream until soft-peaks form; add a ¼ cup of confectioners sugar and continue to beat until you have stiff peaks.

11. Whisk whipped cream into strawberry mixture until well combined with no white streaks.

12. Pour into dessert dishes and chill for at least 4 hours; will keep chilled covered with plastic wrap for two days. Bring to room temp for about 15 minutes before serving.

13. Garnish with chopped berries and a dollop of Orange Whipped Cream

Adapted from “America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook”

Orange Whipped Cream:

• ½ cup chilled heavy cream

• 3 tablespoons of confectioners sugar

• 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest (or ¼ teaspoon orange extract)

• 2 teaspoons of Triple Sec

Whip cream until soft peaks form; add the remaining ingredients and beat to stiff peaks.