Thursday, June 18, 2020

Summer Berry Charcuterie Board / #BerryWeek

 Today is the last day of #BerryWeek! It has been such fun with so many berry recipes to share. My list of ones I want to try has gotten longer with each day! If you missed any of them, you might want to check out the recipe I shared Monday, Summer Berry Salsa. This recipe is a great way to enjoy several berries at a time, in one recipe! If you are a fan of easy to make pastry, you will want to bake up some of my Blueberry Breakfast Pastries, which I shared on Wednesday.  The pastry cream is homemade and the pastry is store bought dough, cutting down on the time it takes to put it all together, but not the taste.

With the fun and tasty #BerryWeek coming to an end, I want to share my Summer Berry Charcuterie Board with you.  If you have ever made a charcuterie board, you know how much fun it is to put them together. It takes thought and creativity to design the perfect board, and it also takes time to collect the items you need for the board, but it is all worth it. In the end, the board looks like an art project, too pretty to eat, but that won't last long! The main objective is to have fun and create something your family and friends will enjoy!

Summer Berry Charcuterie Board 
(serves 3-4 )
(printable recipe at end of page)
Ingredients: 
Fresh Summer Berries:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Chocolate Candy Pieces
Mini Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Cookie Brittle
Cashews
Creme de Pirouline Dark Chocolate Rolled Wafers
Sauce:
1/2 cup Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Whipped Topping
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 

Start by placing fruit on your tray. You want it to look visibly appealing to the eye. When it is fruit you are dealing with, it seems like all the colors go together quite well. Stack your fruit up a bit, as if they are in piles. By stacking them you are creating height, making them visually appealing. You are basically creating a pretty picture that your guests can not resist!

Add different textures to your canvas. The nuts are perfect because they are such an opposite to the softness of the fruit. Your guests will love both textures. The chocolate brittle adds double chocolate flavor, which most guests love! Let's face it. It is difficult to walk past chocolate and not want to grab a bite! The chocolate brittle also adds a hard texture against the fruit.

Red and blue go so well together that I had to put them side by side. The blueberries are soft and juicy and the fresh strawberries with their green stems just create it's own little picture. I used the chocolate cookies as a border to contrast the softness of the fruit. 

These rolled wafers are a great addition to the board because they create height. They direct our gaze to move up from the plate, resulting in your guests taking in the entire picture. 

Every board needs a dip or two. Because this board is on the small side, I thought one would be enough. This dip is super easy to make with only three ready made ingredients. Soften the cream cheese, mix in the frozen dessert topping and add the vanilla! Refrigerate before serving!

This is one way to put together a charcuterie tray. It can be difficult to take the first step in designing your tray. Once you decide on a theme or a certain item you are serving, it will fall into place. I will admit, I spent a lot of time walking around a couple stores trying to buy the items for this board, but after I did, the ideas came rushing into my mind, making a clear path for my end result. This will happen to you also.  Besides, there is no wrong way to create a Summer Berry Charcuterie Board. If you are happy with it, then it is right. Have fun with it!

Check out these Summer Berry Recipes from some blogging friends:

Friday Berry Week Recipes








Smmer Berry Charcuterie Board
Print

Smmer Berry Charcuterie Board

Author:

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Summer Berries:
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Chocolate Candy Pieces
  • Mini Chocolate Cookies
  • Chocolate Cookie Brittle
  • Cashews
  • Creme de Pirouline Dark Chocolate Rolled Wafers
  • Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 cup Whipped Topping
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

  1. Start by placing fruit on your tray. You want it to look visibly appealing to the eye. When it is fruit you are dealing with, it seems like all the colors go together quite well. Stack your fruit up a bit, as if they are in piles. By stacking them you are creating height, making them visually appealing. You are basically creating a pretty picture that your guests can not resist!
  2. Add different textures to your canvas. The nuts are perfect because they are such an opposite to the softness of the fruit. Your guests will love both textures. The chocolate brittle adds double chocolate flavor, which most guests love! Let's face it. It is difficult to walk past chocolate and not want to grab a bite! The chocolate brittle also adds a hard texture against the fruit.
  3. Red and blue go so well together that I had to put them side by side. The blueberries are soft and juicy and the fresh strawberries with their green stems just create it's own little picture. I used the chocolate cookies as a border to contrast the softness of the fruit.
  4. These rolled wafers are a great addition to the board because they create height. They direct our gaze to move up from the plate, resulting in your guests taking in the entire picture.
  5. Every board needs a dip or two. Because this board is on the small side, I thought one would be enough. This dip is super easy to make with only three ready made ingredients. Soften the cream cheese, mix in the frozen dessert topping and add the vanilla! Refrigerate before serving!
summer berries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, charcuterie board, cookies, dip
dessert, treats
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #BerryWeek
Created using The Recipes Generator
  


Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Pastry / #BerryWeek

I hope you are enjoying #BerryWeek, and finding a lot of "must try" recipes! Monday I shared a recipe that is the perfect topper for a bowl of ice cream on a warm summer evening, Very Berry Salsa! I hope you will give it a try. It is super easy and very refreshing! 

Today's recipe is a little different. Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Pastry! Using fresh blueberries and homemade pastry cream, I decided to go with a pre-made crescent dough to make this recipe easier, allowing you more time to enjoy the incredible flavors and tastes that are the Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Pastry. You will want to make this over and over once you see how easy it is! Let's get started!



Blueberry Breakfast Pastry  
(printable recipe at end of page)
(makes 4-5 pastries)

 2 cups Milk
1/4 cup Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
1 Egg
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1/3 cup Sugar
2 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 package Crescent Dough
Fresh Blueberries
Semi Sweet Chocolate



Stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar using a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil using medium heat.

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg.


In a separate bowl stir together the cornstarch and 1/3 cup of sugar. Then pour the mix into the egg and whisk until smooth. Your milk should be at boil about now. Take the milk from the heat and slowly drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream. Drizzling it slowly will keep the eggs liquid. If you pour too quickly, the eggs will begin to cook. You don't want that!


Pour the mix back into the saucepan. Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Stirring constantly will prevent the eggs from curdling and/or the sauce burning on the bottom. As the mix boils it thickens. Once it is thick, remove it from the heat. You will know when it is thick enough. It will have a pudding consistency. Add butter and vanilla, stirring until it is completely melted and blended.

Pour the cream into a heat proof container.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on the top of the pastry cream to prevent skin forming. Refrigerate until cold.

When you are ready to make your pastry, unroll the dough on a cutting board.

Cut the dough into any size you want. I cut them to about a 3"x4" piece. Spread pastry cream over the pieces of dough.

Top the pastry cream with some blueberries. Starting at the bottom, roll the dough strips as shown on the left. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, but all ovens are different, so watch your pastries closely.

Melt the semi sweet chocolate in a double boiler. Drizzle over the pastry before serving. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me for #BerryWeek! I hope you enjoyed this recipe and please let me know what you think if you try it!

Don't forget to check out all my fellow bakers and their amazingly delicious recipes they are sharing today! Here is the lip smacking list:

Wednesday Berry Week Recipes





Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Pastry
Print

Blueberry and Cream Breakfast Pastry

Yield: approx. 6
Author:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Milk
  • 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 package Crescent Dough
  • Fresh Blueberries
  • Semi Sweet Chocolate

Instructions:

  1. Stir together the milk and 1/4 cup of sugar using a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil using medium heat.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg.
  3. In a separate bowl stir together the cornstarch and 1/3 cup of sugar. Then pour the mix into the egg and whisk until smooth. Your milk should be at boil about now. Take the milk from the heat and slowly drizzle it into the bowl in a thin stream. Drizzling it slowly will keep the eggs liquid. If you pour too quickly, the eggs will begin to cook. You don't want that!
  4. Pour the mix back into the saucepan. Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Stirring constantly will prevent the eggs from curdling and/or the sauce burning on the bottom.
  5. As the mix boils it thickens. Once it is thick, remove it from the heat. You will know when it is thick enough. It will have a pudding consistency. Add butter and vanilla, stirring until it is completely melted and blended.
  6. Pour the cream into a heat proof container.
  7. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the top of the pastry cream to prevent skin forming. Refrigerate until cold.
  8. When you are ready to make your pastry, unroll the dough on a cutting board.
  9. Cut the dough into any size you want. I cut them to about a 3x4" piece. Spread pastry cream over the pieces of dough.
  10. Top the pastry cream with some blueberries. Starting at the bottom, roll the dough strips as shown on the left. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, but all ovens are different, so watch your pastries closely.
  11. Melt the semi sweet chocolate in a double boiler. Drizzle over the pastry before serving.
blueberries, pastry cream, pastries, morning goodies, fresh blueberries, homemade pastry cream, breakfast, dessert
breakfast, snack, dessert
pastries
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #BerryWeek
Created using The Recipes Generator




























Sunday, June 14, 2020

Very Berry Salsa/#BerryWeek

Welcome to #BerryWeek! Thanks for stopping by today as some blogging friends and I kick off a week long celebration of all things berry! I have three fun and tasty berry themed recipes to share with you throughout the week, and today I am starting with an easy to prepare Very Berry Salsa! This salsa is perfect for topping slices of pound cake or use it as I did and scoop up the salsa with cinnamon sugar tortilla wedges for a tasty dessert or snack!

Summer Berry Salsa
serves approx. 6-8
(printable recipe at end of page)

1 cup Fresh Raspberries
1 cup Fresh Blueberries
1 cup Fresh Blackberries
1 cup Fresh Strawberries
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
2 tablespoons nonfat Vanilla Yogurt
Mini Flour Tortillas
1/2 tablespoon melted Butter
Sugar
Cinnamon



Chop each piece of fruit, except for the blueberries, into small bite sized pieces.

    Stir all together in a bowl.


Squeeze lemon juice into bowl. Place bowl in refrigerator for 45-60 minutes to chill.

Mix yogurt in with the berries and refrigerate.


Melt the butter over medium low heat. Spread butter over each tortilla, then sprinkle cinnamon over the butter, and then sprinkle the sugar over the cinnamon and butter.


Bake the chips in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes. Let cool, then cut into wedges.


Enjoy your Summer Berry Salsa!

I hope you have enjoyed this Summer Berry Salsa and that you are inspired to make it sometime soon. Let me know what you think!

Don't forget about all my fellow bloggers who are sharing their favorite berry recipes this week also. Find what everyone is sharing today in the list below!

Monday Berry Week Recipes

  

    Print
    Yield: 6-8
    Author:

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup Fresh Raspberries
    • 1 cup Fresh Blueberries
    • 1 cup Fresh Blackberries
    • 1 cup Fresh Strawberries
    • Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
    • 2 tablespoons nonfat Vanilla Yogurt
    • Mini Flour Tortillas
    • 1/2 tablespoon melted Butter
    • Sugar
    • Cinnamon

    Instructions:

    1. Chop each piece of fruit, except for the blueberries, into small bite sized pieces.
    2. Stir all together in a bowl.
    3. Squeeze lemon juice into bowl. Place bowl in refrigerator for 45-60 minutes to chill.
    4. Mix yogurt in with the berries and refrigerate.
    5. Melt the butter over medium low heat. Spread butter over each tortilla, then sprinkle cinnamon over the butter, and then sprinkle the sugar over the cinnamon and butter.
    6. Bake the chips in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes. Let cool, then cut into wedges.
    7. Enjoy your Summer Berry Salsa!
    Did you make this recipe?
    Tag @thefreshmancook on instagram and hashtag it #BerryWeek
    Created using The Recipes Generator